193. Perpetration of Digital and In-Person Teen Dating Violence Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents in the Deep South

Experiences of digital and in-person teen dating violence (TDV) can lead to a number of poor health outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections, substance use, depression and anxiety, suicidality, antisocial behaviors, and revictimization. Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents are at greater risk for TDV and disproportionately affected by these adverse health outcomes. Better understanding the prevalence of and factors related to TDV perpetration behaviors among SGM adolescents may help to improve prevention and intervention efforts. A total of 384 SGM adolescents (M = 16.1, SD = 1.0) were recruited online using tailored social media advertising in eight Deep South states. Eligible participants were 13-17 years old and reported at least one prior romantic or sexual partner. Study staff used multiple authentication procedures to ensure each enrollment was unique and valid prior to data collection. Participants completed an online survey that assessed lifetime histories of digital (phone or video calls, text messages, email, social media, and other websites) and in-person (physical, verbal, psychological and emotional, sexual, and weapons-involved) TDV perpetration behaviors. We used regression models to examine associations between digital violence perpetration and sociodemographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual identity). Overall, 51.3% (n=197) of respondents reported prior TDV perpetration, with 48.2% (n=185) reporting digital perpetration, 15.9% (n=61) in-person, and 12.7% (n=49) both. Social media was the most common communication channel for digital perpetration, followed by text messages, phone or video calls, other websites, and email, respectively. The majority (52.4%, n=97) who perpetrated TDV digitally did so via more than one communication channel. Significant associations between digital perpetration and sociodemographic factors were only observed by gender identity and race/ethnicity. The likelihood of digital violence perpetration was higher among male (OR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.09, 4.40), female (OR: 3.69; 95% CI: 1.44, 9.48), and transgender (OR: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.23, 4.74) respondents as compared to non-binary respondents and among Hispanic (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.50), Non-Hispanic White (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.36, 4.57), and Non-Hispanic Multiracial (OR: 2.63; 95% CI: 1.11, 6.19) respondents as compared to Non-Hispanic Black respondents. The most frequently perpetrated in-person behaviors included verbal (8.3%, n=32), psychological and emotional (7.8%, n=30), physical (5.2%, n=20), sexual (2.9%, n=11), and weapon-involved (1.0%, n=4) abuse. TDV perpetration was common among this sample of young SGM adolescents living in the Deep South. Digital abuse perpetration was especially prevalent. The vast majority of adolescents who perpetrated TDV in-person had also perpetrated digital abuse. Future research that investigates the temporality of different modes of perpetration may aid future prevention interventions.