PROVIDENCE, R.I., April 4 (UPI) -- Most child and adolescent psychiatrists screen for suicide and drug use, but only 21 percent screen for dating violence, found a U.S. study.
The study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence found 25 percent of female adolescents are reported to have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a dating partner.
Teens may not volunteer information about an abusive relationship for a variety of reasons. They may not even recognize behavior in a partner as aggressive or abusive, and may even view it as a demonstration of love, according to lead author Dr. Larry K. Brown, of the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center in Providence.
"Screening is the first step in identification, diagnosis and proper treatment; it will lead to a reduction in further dating violence and proper treatment for reactions to dating violence that has already happened," Brown said in a statement.
