Academic problems are always caused by teen dating violence.

• A. True
• B. Sometimes
• C. Not necessarily
• D. False

Answer: (D)

Academic problems can be linked to teen dating violence, but they aren’t caused by it in every case. TDV can contribute to trauma, anxiety, disrupted sleep, and stress that make concentrating, completing assignments, and attending school more difficult. Those effects can lead to academic struggles for some students.

However, there are many other factors that can affect school performance—learning disabilities, mental health concerns, family instability, poverty, health problems, language barriers, bullying, or disruptive school environments, just to name a few. A student who experiences TDV may still perform well academically, and a student with academic problems may have causes entirely unrelated to TDV. Because multiple factors can influence academics, the idea that TDV is always the cause is not accurate. In practice, educators should consider TDV as one possible factor alongside a range of other influences when assessing why a student might be struggling.