Volume_5_Issue_3_Digest

6 TPC Digest This manuscript presents the findings of a study conducted utilizing survey data from 138 young adults located at a large university in the Southeastern region of the United States. The study examined the constructs of risk for partner violence, attitudes toward violence, use of technology and perceived stress. Study participants included undergraduate and graduate college students who reported a current or recent relationship. The study purported to understand the relationships among variables, as well as the contribution each variable makes to risk of partner violence. Young adults use technology as a means to communicate in their relationships. However, limited research exists regarding the relationship between technology and partner violence in young adult relationships. Previous researchers have focused on methods used to communicate via technology, but have not considered factors that may influence communication (such as stress or acceptance of couple violence), or how technology is used to resolve relational conflict. Additionally, the current study aimed to consider findings in the context of preexisting partner violence typology research conducted with adult couples by administering a partner violence risk assessment that has helped discriminate between more extreme forms of partner violence. Results indicated that stress, attitudes toward violence (i.e., acceptance of violence) and use of technology were all predictors of risk for partner violence among young adults. The use of technology in relationships was the largest predictor of partner violence risk. The direction of the relationship, however, was somewhat surprising. Participants who reported less overall use of technology indicated greater risk of partner violence. Additionally, results indicated that participants who used technology to monitor the whereabouts of a partner or argue with a partner demonstrated greater risk for partner violence. We concluded that technology use in young adult relationships may be an expectation, thus contributing to additional stress when not utilized. However, the exception to this conclusion is the use of technology to monitor or argue with a partner. Therefore, counselors working with young adult couples or individuals need to consider technology’s influence on clients’ relationship functioning. Moreover, counselors should include discussions of healthy technology use in young adult relationships. Ryan G. Carlson, NCC, is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina. Jessica Fripp is a doctoral candidate at the University of South Carolina. Christopher Cook is a doctoral candidate at the University of South Carolina. Viki Kelchner, NCC, is a doctoral candidate at the University of South Carolina. Correspondence may be addressed to Ryan G. Carlson, University of South Carolina, College of Education, Wardlaw 258, Columbia, SC 29208, rcarlson@sc.edu . Examining Intimate Partner Violence, Stress and Technology Use Among Young Adults Ryan G. Carlson Jessica Fripp Christopher Cook Viki Kelchner