An ethnocultural perspective from the Pacific on teen dating violence

Background: Health disparities exist in teen dating violence (TDV) among Pacific youth. To develop an ethnocultural understanding of this serious public health problem, a qualitative analysis was conducted using an ecological approach (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). This included the micro-level, dating dyad, and the meso-level, peer relationships. At the macro-level, sociocultural matters were central. Yet, very little information is known about violence trajectories from a Pacific youth perspective. The lack of culturally relevant information is even more prominently missing from the topic of TDV.

Method: Hawaiian, Samoan, and Filipino youth (N=51) participated in nine focus groups. Transcripts were coded using NVivo software: violence, dating violence, ethnocultural, gender, substance use, supports and services, and ecological levels.

Findings: An ethnocultural stereotype evidently existed among all three ethnocultural groups; namely that Samoan boys, girls, and families were believed to be violent aggressors. Samoan participants offered suggestions for countering negative stereotypes and discriminatory behavior of peers and teachers. However, their narratives suggested that they felt burdened by the need to prove others wrong.

Discussion: An ethnocultural-specific approach to TDV prevention might be indispensable. Despite that Samoan youth shared insights about TDV in confidential, small, ethnic-specific focus groups; it may be problematic for them to do so among a diverse group of peers. Samoan youth expressed a need to resist the stereotype, and therefore may be disinclined to share actual stories of violence in a multiethnic peer group in order to counter negative stereotypes and discrimination.