Gender Difference in Response to Domestic Violence and Its Relation to Impulsivity Among Saudi University Students

Abstract

Research on domestic violence against adolescent females has been conducted on a global scale. The issue of victimization among young men, especially in Arab countries, has not been adequately investigated. This cross-sectional study investigated the gender differences in domestic violence exposure, impulsive behavior, and the associated factors among a sample of Saudi young adults. A convenient sample of Saudi university students, consisting of 505 males and 798 females aged between 18 and 24 years, completed an online questionnaire regarding sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to violence as measured by the Hurt, Insult, Threaten, and Scream Score, impulsive behavior using Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-15, and their coping responses. Findings indicated that a higher percentage of men (19.4%) engaged in perpetrating domestic violence compared to women (10.5%). The male victims of abuse exhibited slightly higher levels of motor and attention impulsivity in comparison to the female victims of abuse. Psychiatric illness was a notable contributing factor to both genders’ exposure to violence. Men’s exposure was found to be associated with being young, living in a single-parent household, and lacking private employment. Interestingly, male individuals reported a higher prevalence of adverse coping responses to violence, such as aggression (64.3%) and low self-esteem (62.2%). The investigation of gender-based violence incidence among university students and the related factors has numerous implications for public health. In addition, understanding the experienced coping reactions could be beneficial in educating abused individuals on different coping strategies to defuse negative emotions and prevent the occurrence of unfavorable reactions.