Can Witnessing Domestic Violence Predict Risky Health Behaviors of University Students?

Korkmazer B., KILINÇARSLAN M. G., TORAMAN Ç., ŞAHİN E. M.

Violence and victims, vol.40, no.2, pp.252-267, 2025 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 40 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1891/vv-2022-0179
  • Journal Name: Violence and victims
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, ATLA Religion Database, CINAHL, Criminal Justice Abstracts, MEDLINE, Political Science Complete, Psycinfo, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Violence & Abuse Abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.252-267
  • Keywords: domestic violence, mediator variable, path analysis, risky health behaviors, university students
  • Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Various physical, mental, and behavioral disorders are reported among individuals who witness violence. This study was designed to examine university students' risky health behaviors after witnessing domestic violence. In this study, 2,509 university students, selected using the stratified sampling method in terms of sex and study year, were included. Path analysis was performed to examine the relationships between sociodemographic variables and risky health behaviors. We found that witnessing domestic violence directly increased substance abuse and alcohol consumption in the entire study population and partner violence among female participants. By adding the variable of witnessing domestic violence to the equation as a mediator, the effect of sociodemographic characteristics on risky health behaviors changed.