Adolescent dating violence is a public health problem recently being recognized and addressed. It encompasses physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in the context of an adolescent dating relationship that can result in serious physical and emotional consequences for the adolescent. This research project examined the lived experience of dating violence of older adolescent females between the ages of 18-22. The research question for this study was “ What is the meaning and significance of experiencing violence within a dating relationship for the older, non-pregnant, non-parenting, college-aged adolescent female?”

A qualitative approach of interpretive phenomenology based on the philosophical underpinnings of Heideggarian Hermeneutics was utilized for this study. Fifteen female college students between the ages of 18 and 22 who were willing to share their stories of dating violence were interviewed. The participants told their story of dating violence that best described the meaning and significance of this experience in their life and were asked demographic questions after the interview. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using a seven-stage process as described by Diekelmann, Allen and Tanner for themes, meanings and understanding.

Two constitutive patterns cut across all four themes and 24 sub-themes: “Expecting the dream: keeping secret the truth” and “Striving for control in the midst of powerlessness.” The four themes were: 1) finding ones' dream: falling in love, 2) losing trust: being violated, 3) walking between two worlds: dream and reality, and 4) letting go of the dream: telling the truth.

The significance of this study is understanding the meaning and significance of experiencing adolescent dating violence can assist nurses to better care for these young women in the settings in which they work. Nurses will be able to provide appropriate evidence based education and counseling to adolescents to prevent future violence.