Examination of the Protective Factors Against Repetitive Dating Violence Victimization: The Buffering Effects of Social Relationships.

This study examined whether social relationships buffer dating violence victimization. We hypothesized that (a) richer social relationships reduce loneliness, (b) lower loneliness decreases partner fixation, and (c) reduced fixation lowers victimization risk. A web-based survey of Japanese women in their 20s living alone (N = 519) assessed social interaction, social support, loneliness, partner fixation, and psychological aggression. The results of structural equation modeling showed that richer social relationships were associated with lower loneliness, which reduced partner fixation and indirectly buffered psychological victimization. These findings suggest that maintaining social relationships may mitigate dating violence victimization.