OBJECTIVETo study the incidence and influencing factors of psychological violence among college students in Guangzhou in 2010.

METHODSConvenience sampling method was used and 2 200 college students from 61 classes of three universities in Guangzhou were interviewed with self-designed questionnaire about the incidence and influencing factors of the psychological violence in 2010. The valid sample was 2 060. Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression were used to assess the incidence and influencing factors of the psychological violence between different genders.

RESULTSA total of 66.3% (1 365/2 060) college students reported having experienced at least one kind of psychological violence during the past 12 months, either as a perpetrator or as a victim. The proportion of psychological violence among males (72.3%, 775/1 072) was significantly higher than that in females (59.7%, 590/988)(χ(2) = 36.39, P < 0.05). The incidence of perpetration only, victimization only, and both perpetration and victimization of psychological violence were 16.1% (331/2 060), 8.9% (184/2 060) and 41.3% (850/2 060), respectively. The incidence of victimization only in females was 10.4% (103/988), which was significantly higher than that in males (7.6%, 81/1 072) (χ(2) = 5.20, P < 0.05). The incidence of both perpetration and victimization in males was 47.3% (507/1 072), which was significantly higher than that in females (34.7%, 343/988) (χ(2) = 33.56, P < 0.05). In males, the multinomial logistic regression showed the risk factors for perpetration only was having harmful behavior habits (OR = 1.90). For victimization only, the risk factors were with siblings (OR = 2.42) and prior mistreatment by teachers from primary to senior high school (OR = 1.78). For both perpetration and victimization, the risk factors were with siblings (OR = 1.88), having harmful behavior habits (OR = 1.98), bad family economic conditions (difficult OR = 1.99, general OR = 1.67) and prior mistreatment by teachers from primary to senior high school(OR = 2.07). In females, the risk factors for perpetration only were self-claimed shortage of monthly living expenses(OR = 2.14) or just enough (OR = 2.26), having harmful behavior habits (OR = 1.69) (all P values<0.05) . For victimization only, the risk factors were bad family economic conditions (difficult OR = 6.67, 15 persons; general OR = 3.81), bullied by others before university(OR = 2.05). For both perpetration and victimization, the risk factors were self-claimed shortage of monthly living expenses (OR = 1.81), bad family economic conditions (OR = 2.43), disharmonious relations between parents (OR = 1.76), physical punishment by parents (OR = 1.66), bullied by others before university (OR = 2.14) and prior mistreatment by teachers from primary to senior high school(OR = 1.73). Having a religious faith was the protective factor (OR = 0.38) (all P values<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe incidence of psychological violence among college students is very serious in Guangzhou in 2010. And the influencing factors of it between different genders are different. Females are affected by a wider ranges of factors than males, and are more influenced by family and parents.