Global Distribution and Impact of Psychology Publications: An Analysis of Scimago-indexed Journals in 2023

Fear, abuse, and dating violence are significant problems among young people, impacting their emotional and psychological well-being. Recent research has shown that both victimization and perpetration of dating violence are related to psychological factors such as fear and abuse. This study examines the relationship between fear, abuse, and the different dimensions of dating violence in Ecuadorian youth. The main objective is to analyze the association between fear and abuse with the dimensions of dating violence (physical, sexual, humiliation, detachment, and coercion) both in terms of victimization and perpetration. A quantitative, descriptive, and correlational research was conducted to determine the association between fear and abuse with the dimensions of dating violence in a sample of Ecuadorian youth (n = 819). Both victimization and perpetration were evaluated in the categories of physical violence, sexual violence, humiliation, detachment, and coercion. The results showed significant associations between fear and abuse with all dimensions of dating violence (p < 0.001). For example, 85% of youth who experienced fear reported physical victimization, while only 15% did not. Similarly, 88% of youth who reported maltreatment also reported experiencing physical violence. These associations were consistently observed across all dimensions of violence (physical, sexual, humiliation, detachment, and coercion), for both victimization and perpetration. The research revealed a strong association between fear, abuse and the presence of dating violence among young Ecuadorians. These results highlight the need to implement dating violence prevention programs, focused on reducing fear and abuse. The data reveals that psychology journals dominate the publication landscape, with a significant portion ranked in high-impact quartiles (Q1-Q3). Western Europe and Northern America lead in publication output. There is growing diversity in interdisciplinary research combining psychology with fields like medicine, neuroscience, and social sciences, reflecting the expanding scope of psychological research globally.