Childhood Maltreatment, School Social Bonds, and Dating Violence Victimization: Mediational Model Differences by Disability Status

Childhood maltreatment (CM) and dating violence victimization (DVV) are significant social concerns with far-reaching consequences for the well-being and development of young adults. The purpose of this study is to understand the role of school social bonds (SSB) in the association between CM and DVV during young adulthood and to compare these relationships between young adults with and without disabilities.

Using a weighted sample consisting of 21.1% youth with disabilities and 78.9% youth without disabilities from the National Longitudinal Study for Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), Structural equation models (SEM) were tested for both the non-disabled and disabled groups.

Results from SEM indicated a direct relationship between CM and DVV for both groups with significant path coefficients. CM had a negative influence on SSB for the disabled group. Mediation analyses underscored the significance of SSB, demonstrating that higher CM levels were associated with increased rates of DVV, while stronger SSB was correlated with a reduced risk of DVV. The indirect effect of CM on DVV through SSB was statistically significant only for young adults with disabilities.

This study emphasizes the importance of evidence-based policies, practices, and interventions aimed at breaking the pathways from CM to DVV by establishing positive SSB and promoting the well-being of young adults, particularly those with disabilities.