Non-physical abuse by a dating partner such as threats, controlling behavior and harassing text messages can have a serious effect on a teenager’s health and well-being, finds new research led by a Michigan State University scholar.

The study, which appears in the research journal BMC Public Health, is one of the first to examine the effects of both physical and non-physical dating abuse that is relevant to today’s highly connected adolescents.

While physical and sexual violence significantly affected the health and behavior of adolescents aged 13-19, non-physical abuse such as stalking through text messages or email also had a considerable effect, said Amy Bonomi, lead researcher on the study and chairperson and professor in MSU’s Department of Human Development and Family Studies.

See more at: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/studying-dating-abuse-in-the-internet-age/?fb_action_ids=10201372486488240&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%2210201372486488240%22%3A574661879235890}&action_type_map={%2210201372486488240%22%3A%22og.likes%22}&action_ref_map=[]#sthash.3z2Bwa6W.dpuf