Exploring Dimensions of Economic Abuse Within Adolescent Romantic Relationships.

Economic abuse is a form of intimate partner violence in adult relationships and includes financial exploitation, financial control, and employment sabotage of an intimate partner. Semistructured interviews with youth-serving practitioners and focus groups with adolescents explored how economic abuse might appear within adolescent relationships. The study team reviewed recordings and notes from these listening sessions with practitioners and youth. Three themes of economic adolescent relationship abuse (ARA) emerged: academic and career interference, conflict and stress around financial decision-making, and gift-giving and reciprocity. Youth and youth-serving practitioners identified several aspects of economic abuse specific to adolescents that should be measured in future survey development. Future work should examine the impact that economic ARA can have on adolescent financial, employment, and educational outcomes.