A comprehensive study conducted by the Social Observatory of the La Caixa Foundation and researchers from the University of Barcelona sheds light on the worrying prevalence of controlling behaviors among adolescents in romantic relationships, signaling a need for urgent educational reform.
Disturbing Findings in Adolescent Relationships
The recent report led by researchers Noemí Pereda, Marta Codina, and Diego A. Díaz-Faes has brought to the forefront a concerning trend: 10.1% of adolescents have experienced controlling behaviors in their relationships.
The study defined controlling behavior as actions where one partner restricts the other’s interactions with friends, checks their mobile phone, or prevents them from meeting new people, among other behaviors, and these appeared to be alarmingly common.
The study, drawing from a representative sample of 4,004 students, reveals a gender disparity in victimization, with 13.3% of young women aged 14-17 reporting experiences of coercive control, compared to 7.1% of young men.
The Call for Educational Intervention
The report, which also addresses physical and sexual violence, doesn’t just highlight the prevalence of coercive control among young people; it also points to a broader issue of abuse in teen dating. With 13.6% of young people reporting victimization by some form of abuse in their romantic relationships and 4.8% admitting to perpetrating abuse against their partners, the necessity for an educational overhaul is evident.
Noemí Pereda emphasizes the potential of these behaviors to escalate into more severe forms of violence, such as physical or sexual abuse. She advocates for a significant shift in how relationships and love are taught, moving away from harmful conceptions that limit young people’s freedom and perpetuate a cycle of violence. As the report indicates, while some controlling behaviors may diminish over time and with new relationships, the underlying issue requires addressing at its root through comprehensive education reform.
The study is a wake-up call to educators, policymakers, and society at large, highlighting the urgent need to redefine and educate young people about healthy, respectful relationships.
Reference
Pereda, N., Codina, M., and Diaz-Faes, D. (2024). Teen Dating Violence. Social Observatory of the La Caixa Foundation.
Featured image: Controlling behavior in teens is alarmingly common. Image: Public domain.
