Anger Control and Acceptance of Violence as Mediators in the Relationship between Exposure to Interparental Conflict and Dating Violence Perpetration in Mexican Adolescents

Dating violence is a prevalent problem in high school students. Previous research has found that anger expression styles and acceptance of violence beliefs mediate the relationship between experiencing family violence and dating violence perpetration. Few studies have examined the intergenerational transmission of violence theory in predicting dating violence in Mexican teens. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among exposure to interparental violence, anger expression, acceptance of violence beliefs, and perpetration of teen dating violence in Mexican teens. Surveys were administered to 204 high school students (aged 15 to 17) from Monterrey, Mexico. Regression analyses revealed that anger control and acceptance of violence beliefs, mediated the relationship between interparental conflict and dating violence perpetration. These results support the use of family-based interventions that challenge acceptance of violence beliefs and teach anger control techniques in Mexican teens.