Entitled “Prevalence of gender-based violence in adolescents using an ecological momentary assessment tool”, the study led by Dr Carballo will address one of the most pressing public health issues today: the significant rise in gender-based violence among adolescents. Many young women are experiencing relationships characterised by control, insults, humiliation, intimidation and even physical and sexual assault.

In Spain, 38% of young women aged 16–24, and 42% of girls aged 16–17, have experienced some form of gender-based violence, primarily psychological and controlling behaviours, with current or former partners being the most common perpetrators. Alarmingly, more than half of these young women do not recognise that they have been subjected to gender-based violence. This is largely due to the normalisation of such behaviours within adolescent and young adult romantic relationships.

The research project proposes a methodologically innovative approach, aiming to identify these more hidden and sexist forms of violence in real time and within the actual context in which they occur. This contrasts with traditional retrospective questionnaires, which are often affected by memory bias and, in cases of gender-based violence, trauma-related bias. Data will be collected using Psiconexia, a mobile application developed by the BrainXR Lab research group, of which Dr Carballo is a member. Over a 14-day period, adolescents aged 16–18 will anonymously and confidentially report incidents of gender-based violence they experience or witness in their everyday surroundings. 

The tool will allow researchers to gather accurate data on the prevalence and emotional impact of these hidden forms of violence, alongside contextual information about the physical and social settings in which they occur. This will help identify the contextual variables associated with such incidents. 

As Dr Carballo explains, “Understanding how gender-based violence manifests during adolescence, and how young people perceive and/or normalise it, is key to designing intervention and prevention strategies for educational and social settings that are better suited to the needs of this age group – and to eliminating both current and future instances of violence.”

The study combines spontaneous reporting of violent or sexist behaviours with daily assessments sent via the application. This dual approach will help researchers detect invisible and everyday patterns of gender-based violence, as well as the times and contexts in which they typically arise. The findings will be used to develop new educational and awareness-raising tools to promote respectful, equal and violence-free relationships.

“We want to support adolescents in recognising and rejecting all forms of violence, including the more subtle behaviours that are often hidden within romantic relationships,” adds Dr Carballo.

With this competitive grant, UIC Barcelona strengthens its commitment to applied social research and the promotion of mental health, particularly among young people.