Dating relationship violence in university nursing students

Abstract

Objective: To identify the perception of violence in dating relationships in nursing students of a public university in Minatitlán, Veracruz, Mexico.

Methodology: Descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study, the sample consisted of 182 nursing students enrolled in a public university in Minatitlán, Veracruz, Mexico. The sampling was simple random. The Violence in Young Partner Relationships Questionnaire (VIREPA) was used, composed of 20 items with a Likert-type scale with 5 response options and sociodemographic questions.

Results: 26.9% of the students indicated abuse in their past relationships and 3.8% indicated abuse in their current relationship. Differences between males and females were found in emotional abuse (z=-2.248, p=.004) and social and economic control (z=-2.681, p=.002) with higher data in males. Participant's age and partner's age was related to emotional, physical and psychological mistreatment and personal devaluation (p<.05).

Conclusions: University nursing students, have perceived experiences of violence during their dating relationships, behavior that can go unnoticed by both the perpetrator and the victim, so it is considered relevant the design of violence prevention programs in university contexts, aimed at identifying violence and its impact on the student, which provides knowledge and opportunity to identify when they are living a violent situation within their dating relationships.

Keywords: Violence; Perception; Students; Nursing.