Adult Violence Research Articles

Online Violence in Adolescent and Young Adult Couples: The Role of Anxious Attachment and Hostile Sexism in a Dyadic Analysis.

This study explores how anxious attachment moderates the relationship between hostile sexism and online violence in adolescent and young adults' partners. Two hundred thirty heterosexual couples (total n = 460) participated in a dyadic design study. Both partners answered a questionnaire about online violence, hostile sexism, and anxious attachment. Results show that both members' hostile sexism positively correlates with the perpetration and victimization of online violence in boys and girls, but not in all the dimensions. However, actor-hostile sexism has a greater effect on both perpetration and victimization for both members than partner-hostile sexism, except for control perpetration and victimization of girls. Results also show that the actor-anxious attachment positively moderated the relationship between their hostile sexism and perpetration and victimization for both members, only when it was higher than average, and negatively when it was lower. In girls, when the anxious attachment is high, the relationship between the boys' hostile sexism and the girls' direct aggression perpetration becomes weaker. The opposite occurs between the boys' hostile sexism and boys' direct aggression perpetrated when their girlfriends' anxious attachment increases. In sum, anxious attachment and hostile actor and partner sexism play an important role in online violence in adolescent couples. Therefore, the protective effect of low levels of anxious attachment should be studied among other psychosocial factors and online violence.

Is Degradation in the Eye of the Beholder (or the Researcher)?

When people raise concerns about pornography, they most often are focused on whether pornography increases violence toward women and/or whether it degrades women. While a substantial amount of cross-cultural data suggests that there is no direct link between adult consumption and violence, the question of whether pornography is inherently degrading to women lacks clear answers. As does the question of whether behaviors in pornography that are commonly labeled as degrading are perceived that way when they take place outside pornography. To answer this question about the inherent nature of degradation, we need a better definition and understanding of what particular behaviors people consider to be degrading and whether their perception of what is degrading is influenced by the circumstance or the people involved in a non-pornography setting. To examine this, 496 individuals (247 females, 249 males) were asked to indicate their perceptions of various sexual behaviors when engaged in by males and females toward male and female partners. Results suggest that while some particular sexual behaviors are broadly viewed as degrading (e.g., watersports), perceptions of degradation for other behaviors seem to be influenced by who is doing what to whom. In this sense, the perception of degradation exists in the eye of beholder and is often not defined by the particular sexual act. Future studies of degradation should take into account the context as well as the players involved.

Childhood histories of family violence and adult intimate partner violence use among U.S. military veterans.

Childhood histories of family violence and adult intimate partner violence use among U.S. military veterans.

Patterns of Technology-Based Abuse Among Adult Intimate Partner Violence Survivors and Associations with Offline Abuse.

Research about technology-based abuse (TBA) has primarily relied on youth-focused survey research, leading to gaps in knowledge about the experiences of TBA among adult populations. However, studies among adult intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors suggest that TBA is a pervasive problem warranting attention. This study builds on the limited existing literature about adult experiences of TBA by examining patterns of TBA among adult abuse survivors (n = 377). Latent class analysis showed three distinct patterns of TBA: technology-based emotional abuse, technology-based monitoring, and technology-based control. Multinomial regression analyses demonstrated that TBA co-occurs with offline IPV. Findings reinforce the significant role of TBA in adult IPV survivors' lives and highlight the importance of assessing for TBA among survivors.

Older Adult Family Homicide in Victoria, Australia 2001–2015: A Description of Family and Family Violence Homicide Victimisation

Abstract Purpose This study examined factors present among older adult family homicide victims and their offenders compared to younger adult family homicide using the social-ecological model. Method The study used a population-based single-jurisdiction cross-sectional design of consecutive homicide cases of adults (aged 18 years and older) reported to the coroner in Victoria, Australia for the period 2001–2015. Included were homicides involving an intimate or familial relationship. The data source was the Victorian Homicide Register, maintained by the Coroners Court of Victoria. Descriptive and multivariate analysis was performed to compare the presence of factors between younger and older adult family homicides. Results During the study period 37/283 (13.1%) family homicides occurred among older adult victims (aged 65 years and older) and 246/283 (86.9%) occurred among younger adults (aged 18–64 years). The deceased older adult was often male (57%), with a documented physical illness (54%). Offenders against the older adult were frequently male (68%), non-intimately related (73%), with diagnosed mental illness, a history of substance use and/or historical exposure to violence (all 57%). There were 15 older adult family violence (FV) homicide victims, eight that were previously victims of the homicide offender, primarily enduring emotional, physical and psychological violence as well as the perpetrator assaulting another family member. Seven older adults had perpetrated FV against their offender. Conclusions The history of violence perpetration in the deceased and mental health factors in their offender, as well as the greater proportion of parent-child and other familial relationships offer interesting focal points for future prevention research.

Coping with sexuality following adult sexual violence: A qualitative interview study of adult survivors’ experiences.

Coping with sexuality following adult sexual violence: A qualitative interview study of adult survivors’ experiences.

Unveiling hope: how social support reciprocity shields against the shadows of intimate partner violence and suicidal ideation in rural Chinese older adults.

The paper titled "A systematic review of psychosocial protective factors against suicide and suicidality among older adults" by Ki and colleagues is a thought-provoking review that emphasizes the importance of improving protective factors for the development of suicide prevention and intervention in older adults, rather than just focusing on risk factors. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, media coverage of mental health and suicide has gained widespread attention. Suicide may become a more pressing issue due to the enormous economic and social toll of the spreading epidemic. Therefore, this systematic review is relevant in preventing suicide among older adults in the "post-pandemic" periods of COVID-19.In this study, the authors highlight the importance of examining the moderating or mediating role of protective factors in suicide, due to the fact that suicide prevention must take into account a variety of factors simultaneously. More importantly, most studies focused primarily on received support among interpersonal protective factors, neglecting the role of support given to others, which might be more beneficial for older adults' well-being. The thought that ensues is what role will social support reciprocity play in specific risk factors and suicidal behavior.

Does psychopathy mediate the relationship between exposure to intimate partner violence in childhood and the perpetration of intimate partner violence in adulthood?

Does psychopathy mediate the relationship between exposure to intimate partner violence in childhood and the perpetration of intimate partner violence in adulthood?

Long-Term Effects of Childhood Exposure to War on Domestic Violence

AbstractThis paper highlights the scarring effects of early life exposure to civil war, by examining the impact of exposure to conflict in childhood on the incidence of domestic violence in adulthood among married women. To estimate these effects, we use a difference-in-differences model which exploits variation in exposure to Nigeria’s 30-month-long civil war by year of birth and ethnicity. Our results, based on the 2008 Nigerian Demographic Health Survey, show that women exposed to the war during childhood are more likely to be victims of domestic violence in adulthood compared to those not exposed to the war, with larger effects observed for those exposed at younger ages. Additionally, we explore the mechanisms through which exposure to civil war might affect domestic violence and find some support for both the normalisation of violence and weakened bargaining power hypotheses. Understanding the root causes of domestic violence is important given the high prevalence in developing countries and the deleterious consequences for women and their children.

Exposure to Childhood Adversity and Intimate Partner Violence in a Sample of Incarcerated Women in Australia.

Women who use violence represent one of the fastest growing groups within the Australian prisoner population, including Aboriginal women who are more likely to be incarcerated than non-Aboriginal women for violent crimes. Many incarcerated women report histories of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and intimate partner violence. This exploratory study examines baseline data from a sample of 167 women in 3 Western Australia women's prisons enrolled in a gender-specific violent behavior program. It describes their exposure to intimate partner violence, head injury, and childhood adversities. Overall, 94% of women had experienced at least one childhood adversity (median 6), and 94% reported being a victim of physical violence by a current or former intimate partner. Aboriginal women were more likely than non-Aboriginal women to report that a family member was incarcerated as a child (p = .001). There was an association between an increased number of ACEs and head injury with a loss of consciousness (p = .008). Overall, these results present a harrowing picture of childhood exposure to adversity and violence in adulthood. Successful rehabilitation of women incarcerated for violent crimes should be cognizant of the histories of extreme violence endured by most of these women.

Early vs. Later Experiences of Violence and Polysubstance Use Among Adults Who Inject Drugs

Background People who inject drugs (PWID) experience high rates of violence, especially in early childhood, increasing their likelihood of engaging in risky substance use behavior in adulthood. Additionally, complex trauma has been reported among PWID due to witnessing and experiencing an overdose, further highlighting the need to examine the role of multiple experiences of trauma on their vulnerability to substance misuse. Methods Our study of 350 PWID from rural Kentucky examined differences in polysubstance use between participants who experienced violence earlier (≤15 years old) versus later (≥16 years old) in their childhood. Results Findings highlighted a direct association between experiences of early childhood violence and polysubstance use in adulthood. Additionally, our sample of PWID who experienced violence early in their childhood reported higher rates of severe substance use disorder and mental health distress. Conclusions Tailored approaches that incorporate trauma-informed care may help to address the disproportionate rates of substance use and related adverse effects among PWID.

Enhancing research engagement in MSW students by investigating social work majors’ adverse life events and mental health outcomes

ABSTRACT Research literacy for graduate social work students may be enhanced by approaching the process of teaching research methods from an experiential learning perspective. This article provides an overview of an introductory MSW research course where students investigated adverse life events (ALEs) and their association with mental health outcomes in social work majors (N = 51). MSW students’ inquiry into ALEs helped to increase their understanding of the practical elements of trauma exposure and aftermath, along with conducting research that adds to the knowledge base of the topic. The findings on childhood maltreatment, adult interpersonal violence, and mental health outcomes are presented, along with students’ process of constructing and implementing their research studies. ALEs were common across the lifespan. However, few associations were found between ALEs, whether in childhood or adulthood, and mental (depression, anxiety, stress) and behavioral (alcohol use, cannabis use) health. Such findings underscored for students the complex relationship between psychological distress and resilience for social work trainees. Implications include further investigation to examine how positive coping skills may serve as essential moderators that create stress-buffering effects for social work trainees in the context of risk. Such information may enhance curricula to prepare students better to achieve professional competence.

Experiences of Domestic Violence in Adult Patients with Brain Injury: A Select Overview of Screening, Reporting, and Next Steps.

This select overview examines the important intersection of adult domestic violence, including intimate partner violence and elder abuse, with brain injury. Despite the high prevalence of domestic violence amongst brain injury patients, there is a notable gap in screening and management training for providers. To provide optimal patient care, brain injury medicine clinicians must screen, recognize, and treat patients who have experienced domestic violence. This select overview highlights barriers to screening, validated screening tools from other medical disciplines, and management considerations for the brain injury clinician. A suggested protocol for domestic violence screening and management, as well as recommended resources for providers and patients, is summarized.

Adverse childhood experiences of Korean mothers with young children: a latent class analysis

ABSTRACT Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have negative impacts on women with children, including psychosocial and general health problems. However, there is limited research investigating ACEs identifying the characteristics of distinct subgroups according to the frequency of ACEs. Objective: Utilizing the national dataset of the Family with Children Life Experience 2017, this study aimed to classify patterns of ACEs based on the total number of types of ACEs and the types of predominant events, and to examine differences in general and psychological characteristics, as well as experiences of violence in adulthood among the classes identified. Method: A total of 460 Korean mothers raising infants or toddlers participated. Latent class analysis was performed to classify the patterns of ACEs, while t-tests and Chi-square tests were used to examine differences in general and psychological characteristics and experiences of violence between the ACEs subgroups. Results: The participants were classified into two subgroups: the ‘high-ACEs group’ and the ‘low-ACEs group’. The high-ACEs group exhibited higher rates of child abuse, workplace violence perpetration and victimization, as well as lower self-esteem, higher depression levels, and increased suicidal thoughts compared to those of the low-ACEs group. Conclusion: The findings highlight the significant role of ACEs on the formation of an individual’s psychological characteristics and their propensity to experience additional violence even into adulthood, as perpetrators and as victims. It is noteworthy how the influence of ACEs extends across generations through child abuse. These findings offer insights for developing interventions aimed at mitigating the negative effects of experiences of violence on mothers raising young children.

The Phenomenon Of Bullying Among Teenagers In A Thematic Hadith Perspective

Bullying has serious and long-term effects on adolescents. Victims of bullying have a higher risk of experiencing physical and psychosomatic problems such as headaches, stomachaches, and sleep problems. They are also at higher risk of internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression in young adulthood and middle adulthood. Bullying can also have a negative impact on both the victim and the bully. It can lead to physical injury, social and emotional distress, self-harm, and even death. Teens who bully others have a higher risk of drug abuse, academic problems, and experiencing violence in adolescence and adulthood. The issue of bullying becomes a big problem if it is not addressed. It is important to prevent bullying and provide support to those who are victims. The object of this research material is a case of bullying according to the hadith themes. This study uses a qualitative approach by applying the thematic method. The results of this study show that the themes of hadith can be formulated in the theoretical framework of the phenomenon of bullying in adolescents. The discussion of this study explains that bullying is not relevant to the teachings of Islam

Violence in Young Adults: Perpetration of Bullying and Life Satisfaction

Objectives: To explore the potential associations between adults’ experiences of bullying and self-reported life satisfaction. Methodology: The data were collected by an online self-report survey using the Google Form by contacting college/university teachers and circulating the form among students using E-mails and social media. The Multidimensional Bullying and Cyberbullying Scale was used to assess the bullying experiences of the students in the last 3 months. The Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale was used to measure self-reported life satisfaction. Results: Out of a total of 854 (males = 21.6 ± 3.55 years) students, a little more than half (53.9%) were not involved in any bullying, 16.4% were cyber victims, 3% were victims of classic bullying, and 10.9% were victims of both types of bullying. Pure perpetration was rare (<1%) and 14.9% of the participants reported victimizing others as well as being victims of bullying. The bully-victims, relative to other groups, were the most likely to express dissatisfaction in the domains of family life (χ 2 = 29.00, P = 0.0001), friendships (χ 2 = 52.11, P = 0.0001), living environment (χ 2 = 23.75, P = 0.003), and overall rating (χ 2 = 41.26, P = 0.0001). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis indicated that 4.2% of the variance was explained by the number of bullying victimization incidents and the number of perpetration incidents (F = 19.90, P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Educational institutions must take robust measures to raise awareness of bullying and implement effective strategies to protect the most vulnerable groups. Social-emotional educational programs that teach conflict resolution, social skills, and safe practices for navigating the remote platform need urgent attention.

Association between Child Maltreatment and Intimate Partner Violence: Moderating Effects of Gender, Age, and Household Income Level

Purpose: This study examines the association between child maltreatment and the perpetration and victimization of intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood, exploring the moderating effects of gender, age, and household income level.Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed secondary data from the 2016 Domestic Violence Survey in South Korea, including 1,765 married individuals aged 65 or younger who responded to key variables. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze associations among the variables.Results: The paths from child maltreatment to IPV perpetration (β=.22, p<.001) and victimization (β=.22, p<.001) were statistically significant. Gender, age, and household income level significantly moderated this relationship. Women under 40 were more likely to be IPV victims than perpetrators. Low-income level increased the likelihood of being both perpetrators and victims. Women under 40 who had experienced child maltreatment and had a low-income level showed different probabilities of being victims or perpetrators of IPV.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need to mitigate the negative impact of child maltreatment in adulthood by designing specific interventions for vulnerable groups, such as women, younger individuals, and those with low-income levels. Ensuring lifelong prevention of child maltreatment and establishing tailored programs for IPV is crucial.

Effect of personality traits, psychological resilience and life adversities on lifetime violence trajectories: A novel classification model in schizophrenia

The risk of violence is higher in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) compared to the general population and it is a pressing and understudied issue. Several dispositional and environmental factors have been previously correlated with violence, however, there has been little success in assessing their ability to predict violence patterns across the life span. This study aims to assess violence prediction based on personality traits, psychological resilience, and life-course adversities in a non-forensic population of SSD patients. In a sample of 231 patients with SSD, we assessed violence using the Brown-Goodwin History of Lifetime Aggression Scale and conducted cross-sectional assessments of possible predictors such as childhood trauma, personality traits and resilience scores. We then utilized a logistic regression classification algorithm to predict different violence trajectories based on the proposed risk factors. Our model significantly predicted individuals with violence in both childhood and adulthood, as well as childhood-only violence (p < 0.001). However, the model did not show significance for adult-only violence (p = 0.604). In all given trajectories, female sex appeared to be protective against violence, while stressful life events appeared to contribute to it. These results suggest that distinct factors can better inform risk assessment of lifespan violence patterns for personalized interventions in SSD.

Associations between violence, distress, and cancer in transgender and non-transgender people.

10566 Background: Due to transphobia, transgender people experience extreme rates of violence and distress. In other populations, violence and distress have been linked to increased cancer morbidity and mortality likely due to increased inflammation and higher rates of cancer risk factors. Methods: To evaluate associations between gender identity, violence, distress, cancer risk factors, and cancer, we developed an a priori structural equations model (SEM) and conducted a cross-sectional cohort study using electronic medical record data entered between 2006-2021 at a New York academic hospital. Participants were adults identified as transgender (N=894) by diagnosis codes, keyword searches, and structured gender identity information. We used age and follow-up time to match this cohort with participants not identified as transgender (N=1788) (2:1). We noted experiences of violence using keyword searches, diagnosis codes, and a screening question, “Are you safe at home?” We assessed distress as a latent factor based on mental illness diagnosis codes and keyword searches and diagnosis codes related to childhood violence. Cancer risk factors included ever smoking, body mass index ≥ 30, and history of HIV, HPV, or hepatitis B or C. We made unadjusted comparisons of violence, distress, cancer risk factors, and cancer in transgender and non-transgender people using two-sample chi-square tests. Our SEM included a direct path from gender identity to cancer or precancerous lesions as well as indirect paths through intermediaries of adult violence, distress, and cancer risk factors. We assessed direct paths for statistical significance using z-tests and indirect paths using bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals. Results: The association between gender identity and probability of cancer transmitted through the intermediate variables of violence, distress, and having multiple cancer risk factors was significant (p=0.05). Conclusions: In our model, transgender people experienced high rates of violence and distress, both of which were associated with cancer risk factors and cancer. Transphobia and violence experienced by transgender people must be addressed and mitigated. More work is needed to better understand associations between violence, distress, and cancer risk. [Table: see text]

‘Nowadays, Girls Have Exceeded Their Limits’: A Qualitative Analysis of Dating Violence in Young Adults from Bengaluru, India

‘Nowadays, Girls Have Exceeded Their Limits’: A Qualitative Analysis of Dating Violence in Young Adults from Bengaluru, India