Psychology of Violence, Vol 14(3), May 2024, 158-173; doi:10.1037/vio0000499
Objective: There is a broad consensus on the detrimental consequences of dating violence, yet its association with well-being remains underexplored. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the relationship between dating violence victimization and subjective, psychological, and social well-being among adolescents and emerging adults. Method: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, a structured search in Scopus, Web of Science, and APA PsycInfo databases was conducted. Inclusion criteria encompassed participants between 10 and 29 years, peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2021, explicit measures of well-being, a focus on experiences of dating violence victimization, and an examination of the relationship between these two phenomena. Results: A total of 11 studies gathering 11,435 participants were included. An association was found between victimization and low levels of well-being, in both adolescence and emerging adulthood, with variables such as frequency, severity, type of victimization, and gender emerging as significant. Heterogeneity was estimated using the Q statistic and the I² index, and publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot and Egger’s test. The meta-analysis showed a significant medium effect (r = −0.23, p