How Can Social Work Prevent Dating Violence and Support Healthy Relationships? Evidence from Vietnamese University Students

Abstract

University dating violence provides an urgent, yet largely under-developed line of academic inquiry in Vietnam. This study investigates pathways through which social work interventions facilitate the prevention of dating violence and promote healthy relationships among Vietnamese university students. We explore structural equation modeling (SEM) and tested four hypotheses on a data-set of 200 undergraduate students, that linked awareness of healthy relationships, attitudes towards gender equality, and availability of perceived support to the exposure and engagement with social work, and the social work programs on ‘relationship quality’. We found that through awareness, positive gender attitudes and perceived support predicted exposure and engagement with social work programs, which in turn promoted greater relationship quality within parameters of trust, communication and respect. The valence of our model fit indices were excellent (e.g., RMSEA=0.025; CFI=0.982). Study findings highlight the importance of education for healthy relationships, advocacy for gender equality, and the establishment of supportive connections to address relationship violence prevention as well as support young adult relational wellbeing at university level in Vietnam.