The purpose of the study was to describe the demographic patterning of physical perpetration and victimization, psychological abuse, and sexual coercion; to explore similarities and differences in the nature, qualities and dynamics within violent and non-violent relationships; and to investigate the situational contexts of violence by analyzing the progression of abuse within particular relationships.
The research design builds on the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS), a 4-wave multi-method, longitudinal investigation of teen dating and sexual relationships, including information about physical violence, psychological abuse and sexual coercion (perpetration and victimization) gathered at each wave. In the fifth wave the interviews were conducted largely in person (71.6%) and on-line. For in-person interviews data were entered directly into a laptop computer, first by the interviewer, and subsequently by respondents, who entered all personal responses directly, to ensure privacy.
The sampling frame was derived from public and private
school enrollment records in Lucas County, Ohio. School attendance, however, was not a requirement for inclusion. A stratified, random sample (n=1,316) was then drawn from all 7th, 9th, and 11th grade youth residing in Lucas County in the fall of 2000. 1,021 of these respondents (77.6%) participated in the fifth wave of data collection.
Young adults who were in the 7th, 9th, and 11th grade in Lucas County, Ohio during the 2000-2001 school year.
individual
survey data
computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI)
computer-assisted self interview (CASI)
face-to-face interview
TARS Wave 5 (n=1,021; 1,837 variables) includes variables in the following categories:
Background
School
Household roster
Marriage
Cohabitation
Work
Parent
Friends
Self and behavior
Dating and intimacy
Romantic relationship partner
No romantic relationship partner
Relationship violence
Sexual history
Non-romantic relationship sex
Pregnancy history
Parenting
Health and risky behavior
Criminal history
Religion and spirituality
See the TARS Wave 5 questionnaire (included in study documentation) for more details.
1,021 respondents participated in the fifth wave of data collection, 77.6% of the original sample (n=1,316 at the first wave).