Partner Violence In Childhood Research Articles

Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence in Childhood and Partner Violence Perpetration in Adulthood: The Mediating Role of Aggression

ABSTRACT Although different studies have found that exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) in childhood is linked to IPV perpetration in adulthood, others have revealed null effects. Previous research has also found that some factors might mediate the relationship between exposure to IPV in childhood and later IPV perpetration. As far as we know, no studies examined the role of aggression in this relationship. This study aimed to analyze the link between exposure to IPV in childhood and IPV perpetration in adulthood and verify whether this relationship was mediated by aggression and its components (verbal and physical aggression, anger, and hostility). Two hundred and forty five men convicted of domestic violence, from prison and community, were recruited. Correlation analysis revealed a positive link between exposure to IPV in childhood, aggression traits, and specifically physical aggression, and IPV frequency in adulthood. Overall aggression traits and physical aggression traits were statistically significant mediator variables explaining almost 15% of the overall effect of exposure to IPV in childhood on overall IPV frequency in adulthood. These findings unravel the role of aggression in the perpetration of physical and total IPV, claiming our attention to the need to include strategies to increase emotion regulation and problem-solving strategies in intervention programs.

Intimate Partner Violence Exposure and Adolescent Mental Health Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Housing Insecurity.

The present study investigated pathways from childhood exposure to mothers' intimate partner violence (IPV) to adolescent depression and anxiety. Further, the study examined whether housing insecurity mediated the link from IPV exposure to mental health outcomes. Data came from the Years 5, 9 and 15 interviews of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study; the analytic sample was limited to mothers with at least partial custody of children (N = 2,425). Structural equation modeling with latent variables investigated research questions. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) identified observed indicators for latent constructs, and a path analysis tested direct and indirect pathways from IPV exposure to adolescent depression and anxiety. IPV exposure at age five was associated with increased housing insecurity at age nine, which was associated with increased adolescent depression and anxiety at age 15. Although IPV exposure was not directly associated with either mental health outcome, housing insecurity mediated the link from IPV exposure to adolescent depression. Findings point to the long-term consequences of exposure to intimate partner violence in childhood, highlighting pathways to mental disorder in adolescence. The present study emphasizes the need for policies that protect survivors of IPV from eviction and homelessness, empower them to leave abusers without fear of losing their housing, and promote healthy child development in the wake of family violence.

Young people who engage in child to parent violence: an integrative review of correlates and developmental pathways

ABSTRACT Objective Review and synthesise Australian and New Zealand research on correlates and predictors of child to parent violence. Method Ten electronic databases were searched for relevant empirical studies. An integrative review methodology was adopted, with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool used to assess methodological quality. Results Twenty-one relevant studies met the inclusion criteria. Assessment of methodological quality revealed a moderate level of bias resulting from small sample sizes and a lack of representative sampling, missing outcome data, definitional variations, and inconsistencies in categorising variables across studies. The primary factors identified as correlates were prolonged or early childhood exposure to adult intimate partner violence and adversity, a childhood behavioural pattern of aggressive behaviour, mental health or emotional or behavioural disorders, other criminality and negative peer associations. Conclusion Extracting and understanding developmental pathways in the Australian and New Zealand context that contribute towards child to parent violence was limited by the amount and quality of research. Thus, highlighting the need for further research in this field. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: A small amount of research has been conducted in Australia and New Zealand relating to child to parent violence. The factors contributing to a young person engaging in child to parent violence are complex and interrelated. Exposure to adult intimate partner violence in childhood is a known correlate of child to parent violence. What this topic adds: This is the first integrative review of Australian and New Zealand evidence on child to parent violence. While childhood behavioural and emotional disorders were identified as correlates for young people engaging in violence towards parents, this research evidence is not strong. This review reveals a need to examine further the developmental pathways towards child to parent violence, identifying points of intervention best suited to service engagement.

Young Adults Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence in Childhood: the Qualitative Meanings of this Experience

Adults exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in their childhood are often considered in studies to be a homogeneous group and are not questioned about the meanings that they give to IPV. This study focuses specifically on the 18–25 age group and seeks to answer the following questions: 1) How do young adults exposed to IPV explain what IPV meant to them? 2) In their opinion, which experiences in their life course contributed to construction of meanings?. Semi-structured interviews using an adaptation of the Life History Calendar were conducted with 35 young adults who were exposed to IPV in their childhood. Analysis was based on the Life Course Theory. Overall, the specific life courses of each young adult exposed to IPV helped us to better understand the nuances in the meanings they gave to IPV. The construction of these meanings relied on the context around IPV and on other trajectories constituting the life course (e.g., school, work, friendship). This construction seemed to rely on three processes: 1) an awareness process, 2) a process leading to greater trust in others, and 3) an empowerment process. These findings have generated new questions about the construction of these meanings and their impact on the consequences of IPV. Our findings could also lead practitioners to pay more attention to these meanings in order to better understand the reactions of individuals exposed to IPV.

Examining the relationships between parent experiences and youth self-reports of slapping/spanking: a population-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundSlapping/spanking is related to a number of poor health outcomes. Understanding what factors are related to the increased or decreased use of spanking/slapping is necessary to inform prevention. This study used a population-based sample to determine the prevalence of slapping/spanking reported by youth; the relationship between sociodemographic factors and slapping/spanking; and the extent to which parental exposures to victimization and maltreatment in childhood and current parental mental health, substance use and family circumstances, are associated with youth reports of slapping/spanking.MethodsData were from the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study, a provincially representative sample of households with children and youth aged 4–17 years. Self-reported lifetime slapping/spanking prevalence was determined using a sub-sample of youth aged 14–17 years (n = 1883). Parents/primary caregivers (i.e., person most knowledgeable (PMK) of the youth) self-reported their own childhood experiences including bullying victimization, slapping/spanking and child maltreatment, and current mental health, substance use and family circumstances including mental health functioning and emotional well-being, alcohol use, smoking, marital conflict and family functioning. Analyses were conducted in 2018.ResultsLiving in urban compared to rural residence and family poverty were associated with decreased odds of slapping/spanking. PMK childhood experiences of physical and verbal bullying victimization, spanking, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and exposure to physical intimate partner violence were associated with increased odds of youth reported slapping/spanking (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] ranged from 1.33–1.77). PMK experiences of physical abuse and exposure to emotional/verbal intimate partner violence in childhood was associated with decreased odds of youth reported slapping/spanking (AOR = 0.72 and 0.88, respectively). PMK’s higher levels of marital conflict, languishing to moderate mental health functioning and emotional well-being, and moderate or greater alcohol use were associated with increased odds of youth reported slapping/spanking (AOR ranged from 1.36–1.61).ConclusionsIt may be important to consider parent/primary caregiver’s childhood experiences with victimization and maltreatment along with their current parental mental health, substance use and family circumstances when developing and testing strategies to prevent slapping/spanking.

Association between a history of child abuse and suicidal ideation, plans and attempts among Canadian public safety personnel: a cross-sectional survey.

A history of child abuse has been identified as a risk factor for suicidal behaviour in general population samples; however, it remains unknown how a history of child abuse and career-related trauma together are related to suicidal behaviour. This cross-sectional survey was designed to 1) estimate the prevalence of a history of child abuse among Canadian public safety personnel, 2) examine the associations between child abuse and suicidal behaviour, 3) examine the associations between career-related trauma and suicidal behaviour and 4) examine the cumulative and interactive effects of child abuse and career-related trauma on suicidal behaviour. Data were drawn from a Web-based survey collected by the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment Team. Child abuse included physical abuse, sexual abuse and exposure to intimate partner violence in childhood. Suicidal behaviour included lifetime ideation, plans and attempt(s). We used logistic regression models to examine the associations between child abuse and suicidal behaviours, and cumulative and interaction models to test the relations between a history of child abuse and career-related trauma on suicidal behaviours. The survey completion rate was 49.3% (n = 4199). A total of 2275/4073 respondents (55.9%) reported experiencing 1 or more types of abuse as a child. All types of child abuse and career-related trauma were significantly associated with suicidal behaviour (adjusted odds ratio 1.57-3.25). No cumulative or interaction effects were noted. Both a history of child abuse and career-related trauma were significantly associated with suicidal behaviours; however, stronger relations were seen for the former. This finding may help the development of effective treatment and intervention strategies aimed at reducing suicidal behaviour among public safety personnel.

Adaptation, Resilience, and Secure Attachment States of Mind in Young South African Female Students Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence in Childhood.

Much research details the psychological risks to individuals exposed as children to intimate partner violence (IPV). However, resilience has been a neglected area of study within this population. This article details adaptive responses in six participants exposed to IPV in childhood. Adult attachment interviews (AAI) and follow-up semi-structured interviews analyzed using an interpretive thematic analysis revealed common themes relating to psychological defenses and adaptive strategies. Despite exposure to IPV in childhood, these six women were found to have secure attachment states of mind. Resilience was found not to be necessarily synonymous with the absence of distress. Despite the presence of suffering, it remained strongly associated with adaptive, robust defenses to manage distress and to retain caregiving relationships with parents. These defenses appeared to provide participants with ways to survive their traumatic environments and to remain connected to needed but frightening caregiving figures, and facilitated processing of trauma. Adaptation often entailed using compliance and caregiving responses in childhood in response to role reversal in parent-child relationships, but also the relinquishing of these roles in adulthood. Participants' abilities to coherently acknowledge and discuss their early experiences and retain compassion for their parents seemed linked to their abilities to attain some distance from troubling aspects of their pasts. In doing so, they separated from the unstable relationships of their parents, which fostered transitions to more integrated states of mind.

Witness of Intimate Partner Violence in Childhood and Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence in Adulthood

At least half a million women are victims of intimate partner violence in the United States annually, resulting in substantial harm. However, the etiology of violence to intimate partners is not well understood. Witnessing such violence in childhood has been proposed as a principal cause of adulthood perpetration, yet it remains unknown whether the association between witnessing intimate partner violence and adulthood perpetration is causal. We conducted a propensity-score analysis of intimate partner violence perpetration to determine whether childhood witnessing is associated with perpetration in adulthood, independent of a wide range of potential confounding variables, and therefore might be a causal factor. We used data from 14,564 U.S. men ages 20 and older from the 2004-2005 wave of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Nearly 4% of men reported violent behavior toward an intimate partner in the past year. In unadjusted models, we found a strong association between childhood witnessing of intimate partner violence and adulthood perpetration (for witnessing any intimate partner violence, risk ratio [RR] = 2.6 [95% confidence interval = 2.1-3.2]; for witnessing frequent or serious violence, 3.0 [2.3-3.9]). In propensity-score models, the association was substantially attenuated (for witnessing any intimate partner violence, adjusted RR = 1.6 [1.2-2.0]; for witnessing frequent or serious violence, 1.6 [1.2-2.3]). Men who witness intimate partner violence in childhood are more likely to commit such acts in adulthood, compared with men who are otherwise similar with respect to a large range of potential confounders. Etiological models of intimate partner violence perpetration should consider a constellation of childhood factors.