Early Exposure to Parental Violence and Young Adult IPV: A Developmental Dynamics Systems Model

Introduction:  Systematic reviews of predictors of young adult IPV indicate early exposure to violence, as well as youth psychopathology, are robust predictors. Yet, few studies use prospective designs or integrate proximal relationship processes. Aims of the current study were to employ a developmental dynamics system model, to consider the conjoint influence of family, individual and relationship dynamics on young adult IPV. Specifically, we examined early childhood exposure to parental IPV, internalizing and externalizing symptoms during adolescence, and young adult IPV and relationship dynamics.

Methods:  Data for this paper were drawn from a longitudinal study of children who were part of the LIFT evaluation in early childhood.  When participants turned 18, they were invited to participate in a couples assessment, which comprised 323 youth (184 females, 139 males; average age 21 years,) and their partners (146 females, 177 males, average age 22). The sample was community-based, but high risk as indicated by arrest records. Both parents completed the CTS during early childhood, and both youth and their partner reported on physical, psychological and sexual IPV in young adulthood. A multi-reporter strategy was used to create internalizing  and externalizing constructs during adolescence.  Lastly, observational data was utilized to assess negative interaction during young adulthood (with romantic partner).

Results: Analyses were conducted in Mplus version 7.3 (Muthen & Muthen, 2012). First, three simple mediation models were fitted, examining whether adolescent psychopathology mediated the effect of early IPV exposure on young adult IPV perpetration. Next, we examined whether the mediating role of adolescent psychopathology in predicting young adulthood IPV perpetration from childhood IPV exposure differentially operated depending on (a) whether boys or girls were observed to have had greater adolescent psychopathology attributable to childhood IPV exposure or (b) the amount of time both partners spent negatively engaged during real-time interactions. Results suggest that adolescent externalizing (but not internalizing) behaviors are a mechanism through which IPV is transmitted across generations, with boys who were exposed to IPV as children as well as couples who spent more time negatively engagement with one another at even more heightened risk for IPV perpetration in young adulthood.

Conclusion:  Findings suggest that exposure to moderate levels of parental IPV are more strongly related to externalizing symptoms versus internalizing, when assessed longitudinally, especially for males.  Furthermore, these data suggest that proximal relationship processes, based on observed interaction, contribute to risk for IPV involvement.  Findings are discussed in regards to intervention and theory, and translational science more broadly.