From Violence in the Home to Physical Dating Violence Victimization: The Mediating Role of Psychological Distress in a Prospective Study of Female Adolescents

Longitudinal Investigation of Stigma and Psychosocial Outcomes Among Women Exposed to Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Current studies suggest relationships between sexual violence, stigma, and psychosocial functioning but cannot disentangle temporal relationships. We used longitudinal data from the Democratic Republic of Congo to fit models estimating whether stigma predicted the long-term psychosocial well-being of sexual-violence-exposed women who participated in a cognitive processing therapy trial. We found that felt stigma predicted depression and anxiety (β = 0.66, p = .005), traumatic stress (β = 0.54, p = .025), and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV; OR = 2.68, p = .044), but not other social (e.g., group membership) or violence-related (e.g., physical IPV) experiences. The results highlight the need for interventions that integrate stigma reduction alongside psychological care.

Causal and common risk pathways linking childhood maltreatment to later intimate partner violence victimization

Childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization are major psychiatric risk factors. Maltreatment substantially increases the likelihood of subsequent IPV victimization, but what drives this association is poorly understood. We analyzed retrospective self-reports of maltreatment and IPV victimization in 12,794 participants (58% women, 42% men) from the Twins Early Development Study at ages 21 and 26 using quantitative genetic methods. We estimated the etiological influences common to maltreatment and IPV, and the effect of maltreatment on IPV beyond such common influences. Participants who reported childhood maltreatment ( ~ 7% of the sample) were 3 times more likely than their peers to also report IPV victimization at age 21, 4 times more likely at 26. The association between maltreatment and IPV was mostly due to environmental influences shared by co-twins (42-43%) and genetic influences (30-33%), as well as nonshared environmental influences (25-27%). The association between maltreatment and IPV was similar for women and men, but its etiology partly differed by sex. Maltreatment had a moderate effect on IPV in phenotypic models (β = 0.25-0.30), decreasing to a small-to-moderate range in causally informative models accounting for their common etiology (β = 0.15-0.21). Risk factors common to maltreatment and IPV victimization are largely familial in origin, environmental and genetic. Even considering common risk factors, experiencing maltreatment may be causally related to subsequent IPV victimization. Interventions promoting safe intimate relationships among young adults exposed to maltreatment are warranted and should address family-level environmental risk and individual-level risk shaped by genetics.

Longitudinal Associations Between Exposure to Physical Interparental Violence and Dating Violence in Young Adulthood and the Moderating Role of Sex, Socioeconomic Status, and Antisociality

Dating violence (DV) is a widespread problem that undermines the well-being of young adults. Consistent with social learning theory, exposure to interparental violence (IV) and childhood maltreatment have been identified as risk factors for DV perpetration and victimization. However, former research on these associations is mainly U.S.-based, cross-sectional, and focused on physical DV. To address these gaps in the literature, the aims of this study were twofold: first, to assess whether exposure to physical IV during childhood was associated with physical and psychological DV perpetration and victimization in young adulthood while controlling for childhood maltreatment; second, to determine whether the associations between IV and DV varied based on participants' sex, socioeconomic status, and antisociality. To investigate this, data from a longitudinal, multi-informant, dual-cohort study in the Netherlands (TRracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey) were used. Participants who self-reported their experiences of IV and whose romantic partners completed questionnaires on DV were included in the current sample (N = 522). Using hierarchical logistic regressions, results showed that IV exposure during childhood was not associated with DV perpetration or DV victimization during young adulthood. Further, this pattern of results did not vary as a function of sex, socioeconomic status, or antisociality. Overall, findings suggest that young adults in our sample demonstrate resilience against the intergenerational cycle of violence.

Elevated Odds of Dating Violence Among U.S. Youth with Mental Health and Neurodevelopmental Conditions: Estimates from a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study

Youth with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions may be at increased risk for interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration as compared to counterparts without these conditions. To investigate this possibility, we conducted an analysis using U.S. nationally representative data collected from youth ages 11 to 21 years old (N = 846). We calculated the prevalence of any dating abuse victimization or perpetration, as well as four specific subtypes of dating abuse-physical, sexual, psychological, and cyber dating abuse-for youth with eight types of mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders (i.e., anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], oppositional defiant or other conduct disorder, bipolar disorder [BD], attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism, or learning disability). Nearly one-half (43%) of the sample reported that they had one or more of the eight mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions (n = 337), 75% of those reported experiencing at least one act of dating abuse victimization in the past year, and 62% reported one or more acts of dating abuse perpetration. Ordinal regression model analyses demonstrated that youth with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions had substantially elevated odds of more frequent physical, sexual, psychological, and cyber dating abuse victimization (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.2 to 7.4) and dating abuse perpetration (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.0 to 6.9) controlling for gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, and household income. Compared to youth with no mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions, youth with BD were particularly likely to report more frequent experiences of all types of dating abuse victimization. Also, sexual dating abuse perpetration was elevated among youth with anxiety, depression, PTSD, BD, and ADHD. Funders are called upon to invest strategically in the development and rigorous testing of healthy relationships promotion programs and strategies that will benefit the millions of youth in U.S. schools who have these conditions.

Theoretical Analysis of the Cycle of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review

Research on the intergenerational transmission of intimate partner violence (IPV), or the "cycle of violence," from childhood exposure (G1) to the perpetration of IPV in adulthood relationships (G2), has increased over the past decades. The link between childhood exposure to interparental violence and future IPV perpetration is largely explained by postulations from social and psychological theories, such as social learning theory. These theories provide claims regarding IPV transmission pathways and the mechanisms underpinning the transmission. However, evidence from extant theory-informed studies on the cycle of violence has generated several null and counter-predictive findings, which raises questions about the nature of the theory-informed research, as well as methodological questions. This systematic review sought to analyze how existing studies applied specific theories to research IPV transmission, and the mechanisms underpinning these transmissions. Following the PRISMA procedure for systematic reviews, we reviewed empirical articles from five databases (Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Informit, and PubMed) published between 1990 and 2024. Results from the 30 included studies were synthesized under three theoretical categories, namely: social, psychological, and cultural theories. Under each theoretical category, we found inconsistent evidence, lack of empirical examination of theory-driven variables, and reductionist approaches, in terms of how claims from the theories are applied in research on IPV transmission. Research guided by a singular theoretical framework presented inconsistencies compared to those applying a multi-theory approach. As a result, we recommend an integrated theoretical model that considers the comprehensive and transactional process/factors that underpin IPV transmission.

Preliminary study of the role of social support in cycles of intimate partner violence

Background: Parents' experiences of IPV are associated with an increased risk for their children to experience IPV. However, the factors that may contribute to intergenerational IPV, particularly between adult mothers and daughters, are still poorly understood. To fill this gap in the literature, this preliminary study examines the moderating role of social support in IPV cycles among Cameroonian mother-daughter dyads.Method: Sixty-one mother-daughter dyads completed questionnaires individually. We performed moderation analysis to examine if the association between mothers' experiences of IPV and daughters' experiences of IPV was moderated by daughters' social support.Results: Results showed that social support influences the strength of the association between mothers' and daughters' IPV victimization. As levels of social support reported by daughters increased, the strength of the association between their and their mothers' experiences of IPV victimization decreased. At high levels of social support, this association was no longer significant (b = 0.09, SE = 0.27, t = 0.34, p > .05).Conclusion: Support from family and friends is important in contexts of intergenerational IPV; thus, interventions aimed at preventing and reducing IPV may aim to strengthen these informal support systems to mitigate the effect of IPV.

Child maltreatment predicts bullying/victimization through personality solidification: A weekly diary study

BACKGROUND

Bullying among adolescents is a significant public health concern worldwide. While child maltreatment (CM) is a known risk factor, few studies explore whether abused adolescents become bullies or victims and how CM affects day-to-day bullying/victimization. Existing research often uses cross-sectional and longitudinal designs with long intervals, failing to capture the dynamic nature of adolescence and bullying behaviors.

OBJECTIVE

Based on personality solidification theory, the study used a weekly diary method to examine the relationship between adolescents' CM and weekly bullying/victimization, as well as the mediating mechanisms of the Big Five personality traits.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

452 students (167 girls, Mage = 12.90, SDage = 0.48) from a junior high school in southern China participated in a 7-week diary study.

METHODS

After participants finished all questionnaires, multilevel models were constructed to analyze weekly diary data.

RESULTS

The findings indicated that CM positively predicted adolescents' weekly bullying/victimization, both directly and indirectly, through personality traits. Specifically, CM predicted weekly bullying through openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism, while it also forecasted weekly victimization through neuroticism.

CONCLUSIONS

CM had long-term adverse effects on adolescents' day-to-day bullying and victimization through the solidification of personality, which may provide significant theoretical and empirical foundations for the prevention of bullying in schools.

Profiles of socioemotional functioning in children with and without CPS-subtantiated maltreatment: Associations with child maltreatment and dating violence

OBJECTIVE

Person-centered approaches are essential for characterizing heterogeneity in child development as it relates to child maltreatment (CM) and dating violence. The present study had two aims: 1) identify person-centered patterns of childhood socioemotional functioning, 2) examine whether patterns of child socioemotional functioning mediate the association between CM and dating violence.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Wave 1 comprised N = 680 children ages 10-12 years with and without experiences of CPS-substantiated CM facing socio-economic challenge. Wave 2 included N = 407 emerging adults ages 18-24 years old.

METHODS

Children participated in a summer camp research program at Wave 1 and a follow up interview at Wave 2. Participant CM history and socioemotional functioning was assessed at Wave 1. Exposure to dating violence was assessed at Wave 2. A latent profile analysis identified patterns of socioemotional functioning. Then regression analyses examined associations of socioemotional functioning with CM and dating violence.

RESULTS

Three profiles of child socioemotional functioning were identified (well-regulated/low distress, high externalizing/high aggression, high internalizing). CM was significantly associated with membership in the high externalizing/high aggression class. Patterns of child socioemotional functioning did not mediate the association between CM and dating violence, although number of subtypes of CM had a significant positive direct effect on dating violence.

CONCLUSIONS

Results underscore the multidimensional nature of socioemotional functioning and the predictive power of number of subtypes of CM on dating violence. Results can be harnessed by clinicians and policy makers to identify those at risk and interrupt cycles of violence.

Childhood Maltreatment and Revictimization: A Systematic Literature Review

There is established evidence that childhood/adolescent victimization is associated with victimization in adulthood although the underlying mechanisms are not still clear. The current study aimed to systematically review empirical studies examining potential psychological factors linking childhood maltreatment to victimization in adulthood and the gaps in the literature. Following PRISMA protocol, 71 original studies consisting of a total sample of n = 31,633 subjects were analyzed. Symptom severity for various trauma-related disorders, dissociation, emotion dysregulation, and risky sexual behaviors emerged as potential predictors of revictimization. While these potential risk factors mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adulthood victimization, evidence for additional factors such as social support, attachment styles, maladaptive schemas, and risk detection is very limited. Addressing these intrapersonal risk factors, found by prior studies, in interventions and preventive programs might decrease the probability of revictimization. The interactions between the identified risk factors have not been studied well yet. Hence, more research on mediating risk factors of revictimization is needed.

Emotion regulation and cognitive function as mediating factors for the association between lifetime abuse and risky behaviors in women of color

BACKGROUND

The relationship between lifetime abuse (i.e., childhood abuse, intimate partner violence) and risky behaviors is well established. One proposed mechanism is poor emotion regulation and executive functioning, as a potential mechanism that may explain the relationship between lifetime abuse and risky behaviors. However, research on executive functioning and emotion regulation as mediators of this relationship has been limited. In the present study, we examined this association. We hypothesized that lifetime abuse would be significantly associated with executive function and emotion regulation which in turn would be associated with greater alcohol use and risky sex.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 150 women with a history of lifetime abuse who were assessed for hazardous alcohol use using the AUDIT Score; emotion regulation was measured using the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS); risky sex was measured using the question: "in the last 90 days, how many people did you have anal or vaginal sex without using a condom? Executive function was assessed using the NIH Toolbox.

RESULTS

The mediation model followed the self-regulation theory, which proposes executive function as the higher-order cognitive process. Results showed that executive function deficit and poor emotion regulation significantly mediated the relationship between lifetime abuse and hazardous alcohol use (indirect effect = .097, SE .031, 95% CI = .035 to .158).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest a higher-order cognitive process with executive function promoting emotion regulation as a potential mechanism for alcohol problems in women of color who experienced lifetime abuse.

Victimization Perceived and Experienced by Teens in an Abusive Dating Relationship: The Need to Tear down Social Myths

The phenomenon of adolescent dating violence is a social health problem that affects thousands of people in different contexts and parts of the world. To date, much of the work that has focused on analysing this phenomenon has tended to study it from the perspective of victimized adolescent girls, considering that gender violence predominates in violent pair relationships. Nonetheless, there is a growing body of evidence that the victimization of adolescent boys is a reality. Thus, mutual violence between boys and girls is increasingly prevalent. Given this context, the present study's objective was to analyse and compare the victimization profile of a sample of female and male adolescents, taking into account the variables most commonly associated with victimization in these abusive relationships (perceived violence suffered, perceived severity, sexism, and moral disengagement). With this objective, different instruments were administered (CUVINO, Scale of Detection of Sexism Adolescents (DSA), and Mechanism of Moral Disengagement Scale (MMDS)). Data analysis based on the construction of a multiple linear regression model confirmed that the boys and girls in the sample revealed having suffered violence from their partners to a different degree. It is evident that the victimization profile of the two sexes is different. Thus, boys show less perception of severity, more sexism, and greater use of certain moral disengagement mechanisms than girls. These results reveal the need to tear down social myths and construct prevention programs that take into account different victimization profiles.

Prevalence and Correlates of Non-Dating Sexual Violence, Sexual Dating Violence, and Physical Dating Violence Victimization among U.S. High School Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic created an environment of disruption and adversity for many adolescents. We sought to establish the prevalence of non-dating sexual violence, sexual dating violence, and physical dating violence victimization among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate whether experiences of disruption and adversity placed adolescents at greater risk for these forms of interpersonal violence. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Adolescent Behavior and Experiences Survey, collected January to June 2021 from a nationally representative sample of U.S. high school students (N = 7,705). Exposures included abuse by a parent; economic, housing, and food and nutrition insecurity; interpersonal connectedness; and personal well-being. Among female students, 8.0% experienced non-dating sexual violence; 12.5% experienced sexual dating violence; and 7.7% experienced physical dating violence. Among male students, 2.2% experienced non-dating sexual violence; 2.4% experienced sexual dating violence; and 4.9% experienced physical dating violence. Among female students, both emotional and physical abuse by a parent was related to non-dating sexual violence, emotional abuse was related to sexual dating violence, and physical abuse was related to physical dating violence. Among males, emotional abuse by a parent was related to physical dating violence and physical abuse by a parent was related to sexual dating violence. Hunger was associated with sexual and physical dating violence among female students and homeless was associated with physical dating violence among male students. Although there were differences by sex, abuse by a parent, hunger, and homelessness created precarity that may have increased the likelihood that adolescents would be exposed to risky peer or dating relationships. Adolescents need support that stops and prevents experiences of non-dating sexual and dating violence connected to interventions that address adversities experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The relationship between parental neglect and cyberbullying perpetration among Chinese adolescent: The sequential role of cyberbullying victimization and internet gaming disorder

Cyberbullying perpetration and victimization have been common public health issues that have impaired the development of adolescent physical and mental health. Abundant research has proven associations between negative parental factors and cyberbullying perpetration. However, there is a paucity of research exploring the impact of parental neglect on cyberbullying and its internal mechanisms. Based on the parental acceptance-rejection theory (PARTheory) and the general aggression model (GAM), the present study constructs a sequential mediation model in which parental neglect is related to adolescent cyberbullying perpetration through cyberbullying victimization and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Using random cluster sampling, a total of 699 middle school students (M age = 14.18 years, SD = 1.22, and 324 boys) were recruited from five schools in three provinces on mainland China. The participants completed questionnaires regarding parental neglect, cyberbullying perpetration, cyberbullying victimization, and IGD. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that parental neglect was positively associated with cyberbullying perpetration. The mediating effects of cyberbullying victimization and IGD in this relationship are significant both individually and jointly. The current findings have important implications for enlightening families and schools to pay particular attention to adolescents' experiences of parental neglect and provide them with timely feedback and assistance. This will contribute to the prevention and reduction of adolescent involvement in cyberbullying perpetration.

The relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescents' cyberbullying victimization: The new phenomenon of a "cycle of victimization"

BACKGROUND

The research community is showing an increasing concern about the adverse outcomes of childhood maltreatment for adolescents. However, whether childhood maltreatment is associated with cyberbullying victimization and what the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are remain to be identified.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to examine the relationship between childhood maltreatment and cyberbullying victimization and whether self-compassion and fear of missing out (FoMO) can simultaneously moderate this relationship among adolescents.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A sample of 1025 Chinese adolescents (50.8 % male participants, age = 15.50 ± 0.52 years) completed questionnaires regarding childhood maltreatment, cyberbullying victimization, self-compassion, and FoMO.

METHODS

Our hypotheses were tested by correlation analysis and Model 3 of the PROCESS macro.

RESULTS

Childhood maltreatment significantly predicted adolescents' cyberbullying victimization (β = 0.28, p < .001). High self-compassion weakened the relationship between childhood maltreatment and cyberbullying victimization (β = -0.10, p < .001). Furthermore, self-compassion and FoMO simultaneously interacted with childhood maltreatment to predict cyberbullying victimization (β = 0.08, p < .001). Specifically, high FoMO weakened the moderating effect of self-compassion on the relationship between childhood maltreatment and cyberbullying victimization. Childhood maltreatment significantly predicted cyberbullying victimization among adolescents high in FoMO, regardless of self-compassion levels. In contrast, childhood maltreatment non-significantly predicted cyberbullying victimization when adolescents were high in self-compassion and low in FoMO.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood maltreatment is positively associated with cyberbullying victimization. Moreover, increasing self-compassion and decreasing FoMO can mitigate the effect of childhood maltreatment on cyberbullying victimization.

Physical abuse in childhood and intimate partner violence in Peruvian women: A population-based survey, 2019

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health problem and a violation of individual rights. The objective of this study was to assess the association between physical child abuse and current IPV in women of childbearing age in Peru. An analytical cross-sectional analysis of the data from the 2019 Demographic and Family Health Survey was carried out. IPV was constituted by emotional, physical and sexual violence, while physical child abuse was constructed from variables related to physical punishment that women of childbearing age experienced during childhood. Poisson's family generalized linear models were used for the crude and adjusted analyses to determine the association between physical child abuse and IPV. Data from a total of 21,518 women of childbearing age were included. 67.1% of women experienced physical abuse in childhood, while 57.7% experienced intimate partner violence. After adjusting for the characteristics of the woman, the partner or husband, marriage or relationship and the home, it was observed that having experienced physical abuse during childhood increased the probability of experiencing emotional (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-1.21), physical (aPR 1.33; 95% CI: 1.20-1.47), sexual (aPR 1.57; 95% CI: 1.26-1.96) and any type of violence (aPR 1.15; 95% CI: 1.09-1.21) in adulthood. In conclusion, physical abuse during childhood is a public health issue in Peru. This study shows that women aged 15 to 49 who experienced physical abuse in childhood are more likely to experience intimate partner violence.

Cumulative childhood trauma and cybervictimization among Chinese college students: Internet addiction as a mediator and roommate relationships as a moderator

Existing studies have found that childhood trauma is a risk predictor of cybervictimization, but few studies have explored the relationship between cumulative childhood trauma and college students' cybervictimization. This study explored the relationship and the roles of Internet addiction and Internet victimization between them. A total of 854 college students (568 females, M age = 18.92 years, SD = 0.86) completed a survey including the Short Form of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Cyberbullying Inventory, the Young's Internet Addiction Scale, and the revised Roommate Relationships Questionnaire. The results showed that: (1) cumulative childhood trauma was significantly positively associated with cybervictimization; (2) Internet addiction played a mediating role between cumulative childhood trauma and cybervictimization; and (3) roommate relationships played a moderating role between cumulative childhood trauma and cybervictimization, as well as Internet addiction and cybervictimization. The research findings provide a theoretical and practical basis for the prevention and intervention of college students' cybervictimization.

Early Childhood Predictors of Teen Dating Violence Involvement at Age 17

The distal relationship between risk factors in childhood and subsequent dating violence in late adolescence has not often been explored using longitudinal data. This study aims to shed light on the problem of dating violence by examining children’s backgrounds at age 7 and the link to the future involvement in dating violence at age 17 using the first and seventh waves of the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso, n = 644). The sample consists of 644 multiethnic adolescents (57.14% female, M = 17.47, SD = 0.37), mainly Swiss-born (90%), though more than half of their parents (60%) were born in another country. A latent class analysis was applied to identify three different profiles (a) zero (or minimal) involvement in teen dating violence, (b) perpetrators/victims of controlling behaviors, and (c) perpetrators/victims of controlling behaviors and of physical violence. Participants who were corporally punished and/or victims of bullying at age 7 were significantly more likely to belong to the controlling and physical violence profile than children in the non-violent class. These results suggest a certain chronicity of the effects of violent experiences in early childhood on the patterns of romantic relationships at 17 years old.

Roles of Psychological Distress and Social Support in the Relationship Between Childhood Maltreatment and Perceived Needs for Mental Health Care

Childhood maltreatment is a major public health issue worldwide. It increases a range of health-risk behaviors, psychological and physical problems, which are associated with an increased need for mental health services in adulthood. Identification of mediating factors in the relationship between maltreatment and seeking mental health care may help attenuate the negative consequences of childhood maltreatment and promote more appropriate treatment. This study aims to examine whether the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived need for mental health care is mediated by psychological distress and/or moderated by social support. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health 2012 are analyzed. A total of 8,993 participants, who had complete information on childhood maltreatment and diagnoses of mental disorders or psychological distress, are included in this study. Structural equation modeling and the PROCESS macro were used to identify relationships among childhood maltreatment, perceived needs for mental health care, and psychological distress. Hierarchical linear regression was then used to verify the moderated mediation model. We found that psychological distress partially mediated the effect of childhood maltreatment on perceived needs for mental health care in adulthood. Social support played an important role in terms of moderating the relationship between maltreatment and perceived needs for care. For those with a history of childhood maltreatment, those who perceived a low level of social support were more likely to have higher levels of psychological distress and perceived need for mental health care. This is the first study to identify the separate and combined roles of psychological distress and social support in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived need for mental health care. Selective prevention strategies should focus on social support to improve mental health services among people with a history of childhood maltreatment.

Gender-Based Violence in Adolescent Dating from a Medical Perspective: A Qualitative Study of the Needs Felt in Primary Healthcare Centres

Violence in adolescent dating has become a worrying public health problem. Research carried out on the issue has focused on identifying the causes of this phenomenon. However, difficulties have been found in designing and implementing effective prevention programs. In this context, primary healthcare physicians are one of the most important figures in screening for and detecting this phenomenon, since, in many cases, they are the first to have contact with the victims. The present study focuses on the qualitative analysis of a series of interviews carried out with 95 primary healthcare physicians in Extremadura, Spain. These interviews addressed various questions related to the theoretical and practical knowledge that the physicians have about the topic. The analysis of their responses reveals some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Spanish public health system, at the same time as pointing to what is needed to be able to improve comprehensive intervention for the victims, from the moment they arrive for their first consultation until they are treated and referred to different health specialists.

Feeling unsafe as a source of psychological distress in early adolescence

RATIONALE

Symptoms of psychological distress at an early age have proved to undermine adolescents' academic achievements, as well as their personal and social well-being. The literature acknowledges a wide range of risk factors that cause psychological distress, while at the same time emphasizing the role of social support as a protective factor. On the other hand, feelings of unsafety as a possible source of psychological distress have been so far largely overlooked in the literature.

OBJECTIVE

The present study explores the consequences of a specific stressor (feeling unsafe) and asks whether social support can act as a moderator in the association between subjective unsafety and psychological distress.

METHODS

A multi-group structural equation model was run with a sample of 2876 young adolescents aged 10-12 enrolled in educational centers in the city of Barcelona, Spain.

RESULTS

The results show that direct exposure to sibling violence at home and bullying at school are significant predictors of psychological distress, regardless of biological sex. The hypothesis of a negative correlation of subjective perceptions of unsafety on psychological distress is also supported, although neighborhood-based risk factors emerge as a greater source of distress for females than for males. The involvement of supportive adults is associated with lower levels of perceptions of unsafety and distress in both groups, but girls seem capable of drawing more effectively on alternative sources of support, specifically their peers, to enhance their safety at school and in the neighborhood.

CONCLUSION

Overall, gender differences in our model overlap with socio-environmental inequalities (low income, exposure to violence and conflictual public spaces), thus suggesting that an intervention into the root causes of these inequalities could contribute to lowering psychological distress in early adolescence.

Links between peer victimization, dating violence victimization and depression in adolescence: A genetically-informed study

OBJECTIVE

The current study aimed to test if individuals with inherent dispositions to depression-related cognitions and behaviors are more at risk of experiencing relational difficulties, such as peer victimization and dating violence victimization.

METHOD

This study used a genetically informed design with 806 twins (51.5% girls) to test 1) if at least part of the association between peer victimization in school and dating violence victimization in emerging adulthood can be explained by common underlying heritable factors. Participants provided repeated assessments of their peer victimization in school at ages 13 through 17, their depression symptoms at ages 13 through 19, as well as their victimization in dating relationships at age 19.

RESULTS

A Cholesky decomposition based on structural equation modeling supported the hypotheses. Specifically, the association between peer victimization and dating violence victimization was to a significant extent explained by common underlying genetic vulnerabilities that were associated with depression symptoms. No sex moderation was found.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings highlight the importance of addressing early indicators of vulnerability toward depression symptoms to prevent victimization by peers or dating partners.

A Meta-Analysis Linking Parent-to-Child Aggression and Dating Abuse During Adolescence and Young Adulthood

Relationship continuity and social learning theories provide support for parent-to-child aggression as one potential explanatory factor for dating abuse (DA); however, empirical results are mixed across studies as to the strength of this association. This meta-analysis sought to estimate the overall size of this effect among adolescent and young adult samples and investigate potential moderating factors including sample and measurement variables. Records were identified using a computerized search of databases with several keywords. Peer-reviewed journal articles and dissertations were included if they measured both parent-to-child aggression and DA perpetration and/or victimization among adolescents (aged 12-18) or young adults (aged 18-29). Sixty-six records met inclusion criteria, yielding 370 unique effect sizes for the relation between parent-to-child aggression and DA across 94 unique samples. As hypothesized, there was a small-to-medium effect size between parent-to-child aggression and subsequent DA during both adolescence and young adulthood. The strength of these findings was consistent across DA outcome (perpetration and victimization) and both physical and psychological forms, youth and parent gender, and youth age. Stronger associations were found when the gender of the parental aggressor was undefined compared to either a defined paternal or maternal aggressor. Records using the Conflict Tactics Scale to measure both parent-to-child aggression and DA yielded stronger associations compared to sources that used different measures, but single informant versus multiple informants did not yield any differences.

Exploring the Association Between Social Media Addiction and Relationship Satisfaction: Psychological Distress as a Mediator

Social media use has become part of daily life for many people. Earlier research showed that problematic social media use is associated with psychological distress and relationship satisfaction. The aim of the present study was to examine the mediating role of psychological distress in the relationship between social media addiction (SMA) and romantic relationship satisfaction (RS). Participants comprised 334 undergraduates from four mid-sized universities in Turkey who completed an offline survey. The survey included the Relationship Assessment Scale, the Social Media Disorder Scale, and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale. According to the results, there were significant correlations between all variables. The results also indicated that depression, anxiety, and stress partially mediated the impact of SMA on RS. Moreover, utilizing the bootstrapping procedure the study found significant associations between SMA and RS via psychological distress. Consequently, reducing social media use may help couples deal with romantic relationship dissatisfaction, thereby mitigating their depression, anxiety, and stress.

Associations Among Child Maltreatment, Mental Health, and Police Contact in Adulthood: Findings From a National Canadian Sample

The purpose of this study was to examine associations between three subtypes of childhood maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse, and exposure to intimate partner violence) and two forms of adult police contact (criminality, victimization) using nationally representative Canadian data. Presence of a mental health disorder was also explored as a potential mediating variable in these associations. The weighted sample included 23,846 adult participants from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health. Logistic and multinomial regression analyses examined associations among individual and multiple exposures to subtypes of childhood maltreatment with police contact. The Sobel test was used to assess the mediating effect of mental health disorders. Adjusting for sociodemographic variables, results indicated that all maltreatment subtypes were significantly associated with increased odds of both forms of police contact (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 2.06 to 2.95). Presence of a mental health disorder was a partial mediator in the associations between child maltreatment and both forms of adult police contact (adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.52 to 2.32). In addition, a dose-response relationship was observed for victimization; as the number of subtypes of maltreatment increased, there was an incremental increase in risk of victimization. Future efforts are needed to prioritize child maltreatment prevention, trauma-informed approaches, mental health awareness, and training in law enforcement.

Perpetration of Electronic Intrusiveness Among Adolescent Females: Associations With In-Person Dating Violence

Electronic intrusiveness is a form of cyber dating abuse that includes monitoring a partners' location, whom a partner is talking to, and other private information via technology and social networking sites. The aim of this study was to further explore the prevalence of electronic intrusiveness, as well as to assess how electronic intrusiveness relates to in-person dating violence while controlling for known risk factors for in-person dating violence, namely, depression, emotion regulation, and acceptance of couple violence. Data for this study were drawn from the baseline assessment of a larger clinical trial. A sample of high-risk adolescent females between the ages of 14 and 17 with a lifetime history of prior dating violence victimization or perpetration was used. Participants completed self-report measures for all study variables. Findings demonstrate that perpetration of electronic intrusiveness within the past 3 months is common among a sample of high-risk adolescent females, with rates across various modes of technology ranging from 30% to 57%. Results also revealed electronic intrusiveness is associated with in-person dating violence perpetration after accounting for known risk factors. This study highlights the need to increase awareness of electronic intrusiveness and to better incorporate electronic intrusiveness into theoretical and empirical models of dating violence.

Adolescent Exposure to Violence and Intimate-Partner Violence Mediated by Mental Distress

Adolescent exposure to violence (ETV) is associated with multiple negative health outcomes. Despite evidence linking adolescent ETV with later experiences of physical, sexual and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization, more longitudinal evidence is needed, and potential explanatory mechanisms should be tested. We examine data collected over 17 years to analyze the mediating effects of mental distress and substance use on the association between cumulative ETV in adolescence and IPV in adulthood. Adolescent (M _ages=15-18 years) ETV was associated with IPV outcomes in adulthood (M _age=32 years). In parallel mediation models, mental distress in emerging adulthood (M _ages=20-23 years) fully mediated the effect of adolescent ETV on later IPV outcomes. Although substance use predicted experience of IPV, it did not mediate the association between ETV and IPV. These findings have implications for understanding trajectories of risk following violence exposure and inform intervention work through identifying developmental periods where ETV contributes to later IPV victimization.

Child maltreatment and romantic relationships in adolescence and young adulthood: The mediating role of self-perception

BACKGROUND

Child maltreatment (CM) can disrupt the development of self, influencing the ability to form positive relationships, including romantic attachment. While mental health is a known mediator of maltreatment history and romantic relationships, less is known about the role of self-perception.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this work is to understand the role self-perception plays in the association between CM history and romantic relationships during adolescence and young adulthood.

PARTICIPANTS

Longitudinal data from child welfare involved and comparison youth were gathered to examine whether self-perception mediated the association between CM history and the proportion of positive romantic relationships. Mean age at T1 was 11.03 years and 18.24 years at T4.

METHODS

Participants in the CM group were recruited from active Child Protective Services cases in a large west coast city. The comparison group was recruited using names from school lists of children residing in the same 10 zip codes. Assessments were conducted at an urban research university. After assent/consent were obtained, the adolescent was administered questionnaires. For the current analyses, only those who indicated they had ever had a romantic relationship were included (n = 306). Hypotheses were tested used path modeling in Mplus 7.0.

RESULTS

CM history was associated with lower self-perceptions in all domains. Only behavioral (β = 0.15, p= 0.02) and scholastic (β= -0.14, p= 0.04) self- perceptions predicted proportion of later positive romantic relationships. A significant mediation effect was found only for behavioral self- perceptions.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions aimed at bolstering self- perceptions and engagement in positive behaviors could strengthen positive relationships for youth with CM and child welfare experiences.

Variáveis pessoais e contextuais preditoras de perpetração de violência no namoro na adolescência

Estudos prévios indicam que ser vítima de maus-tratos na infância e testemunhar a violência conjugal dos pais são preditores da violência no namoro na adolescência. A influência do grupo de pares, o uso de álcool e ser do sexo feminino igualmente aumentam o risco para a violência no namoro, embora ainda sejam variáveis pouco investigadas. Dessa forma, este estudo transversal descritivo investigou variáveis pessoais e contextuais associadas à perpetração de violência no namoro em 403 adolescentes, de 14 a 19 anos, de escolas públicas e privadas da Região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre, Brasil. Uma análise de regressão logística multivariada indicou que ter sofrido maus-tratos psicológicos na infância aumenta em 5,37 (IC 95 % = 2,30-12,57) a probabilidade de um adolescente ser perpetrador de violência verbal ou emocional no namoro. Demais variáveis preditoras (testemunhar violência parental, influência do grupo de pares, uso de álcool e ser do sexo feminino) não se mostraram significativas. Este estudo reúne evidências de aspectos intergeracionais da violência no namoro e indica a necessidade de programas de prevenção com adolescentes.

Synergy between Acceptance of Violence and Sexist Attitudes as a Dating Violence Risk Factor

The normalization of aggressive behavior in teenage couples when they are dating is a phenomenon that is currently reaching very worrying proportions. The consequences are creating a serious public health problem and have hence aroused the interest of many researchers as to its causes. Most have centered on the role of the aggressor. However, the processes of aggression and victimization are inseparable, and relegating the victims to the background only contributes to increasing the prevalence, severity, and perdurability of the problem. The objectives of this study were to: (i) identify the types and frequency of abuse that adolescents suffer in their relationships; (ii) analyze the relationship between sexist attitudes, acceptance of violence, and victimization; and (iii) determine predictors of the violence suffered in adolescent dating relationships. The sample comprised 2577 adolescents (55.2% girls) of 14 to 18 years in age (M = 15.9, SD = 1.2). The instruments used were the dating violence questionnaire (Cuestionario de Violencia de Novios, CUVINO) and the Scale of detection of sexism in adolescents (Escala de Detección de Sexismo en Adolescentes, DSA). The results indicate that victims showed high tolerance towards gender violence. Acceptance was greater the more frequent the abuse or aggressions suffered. Regarding sexist attitudes, only those belonging to the benevolent dimension had predictive value. The results also show that the interaction between acceptance of the abuse suffered and the manifestation of benevolent sexist attitudes predicted victimization involving specific forms of aggression.

Emerging partner violence among young adolescents in a low-income country: Perpetration, victimization and adversity

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent in high- as well as low-income contexts. It results in a substantial public health burden and significant negative socioeconomic and health outcomes throughout the life-course. However, limited knowledge exists about IPV during early adolescence. This period is critical during the transition to adulthood for at least two reasons: it is when the majority of adolescents in low-income countries first encounter dating, sexuality and partnerships, often with older adolescents or adults, and it is also the period when lifelong patterns of violence and norms about acceptable IPV are formed. The current study is one of the first to measure IPV prevalence among young adolescents in a low-income setting, examine the potential etiology, and investigate relationships with gender ideology, poverty, mental health and childhood adversity.

Methods

We surveyed 2,089 adolescents aged 10–16 in Malawi using standardized instruments. We estimated the prevalence of IPV, and use multivariate logistic regression to test potential correlates.

Results

More than a quarter (27%) of ever-partnered adolescents in Malawi report being victimized. A substantial proportion of both male and female adolescents (15%) report committing violence against their partner. Girls were more likely than boys to report being a victim of sexual IPV (24% versus 8%), and boys more likely to perpetrate such (9% versus 1%). Almost 10% of the sample had both committed and been a victim of IPV. Cumulative childhood adversity (e.g., physical abuse, witnessing domestic violence) was a consistent and strong correlate of IPV victimization (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.30) and of perpetration (aOR 1.35). Depression and PTSD were likewise associated with IPV victimization in the overall sample. Notably, gender ideology was not predictive of either victimization or perpetration, even among boys.

Conclusions

IPV is common for both male and female young Malawian adolescents, and includes both victimization and perpetration. IPV compounds other adversities experienced by adolescents in this low-income setting, and it is rarely alleviated through help from the health system or other formal support. These findings underscore the need to intervene early when interventions can still break destructive pathways and help foster healthier relationships. This focus on early adolescence is particularly critical in low-income countries given the early onset and rapid pace of the transition to adulthood, with sexual activity, dating and partnership thus being common already in young adolescence. Promising interventions would be those that reduce violence against or around children, as well as those that reduce the impacts of such trauma on mental health during adolescence.

Childhood physical abuse and physical dating violence in young adulthood: The mediating role of adverse mental health

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine whether adverse mental health (i.e., symptoms of anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression) mediated the relation between childhood physical abuse (CPA) and physical dating violence (DV) victimization/perpetration in young adulthood.

METHOD

We used four waves of data from an ongoing longitudinal study. The sample consisted of 864 adolescents including 282 Hispanic Americans, 248 European Americans, 240 African Americans, and 94 other, with a mean age of 17 years at Wave 3.

RESULTS

Structural equation modeling suggested that posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms mediated the link between CPA and both physical DV victimization (β = .06, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.11) and perpetration (β = .07, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.13). Anxiety and depressive symptoms, however, did not show significant indirect effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the importance of interventions targeting posttraumatic stress symptoms for adolescents who experienced CPA in preventing physical DV in young adulthood.

Causes and consequences of adolescent dating violence: a systematic review

Background:

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is highly prevalent and can have serious health consequences, including homicides, and be a predictor of intimate partner violence in adulthood. This review aims to systematize the knowledge produced in recent empirical investigations in health that focus on the causes and consequences of ADV to subsidize new research and prevention programs.

Methods:

Review of studies published in PubMed over the last five years through MeSH Database: “Intimate Partner Violence” AND “Adolescent” NOT “prevention and control” NOT “Adult”.

Results:

We analyzed 35 papers, of which 71.4% were developed in the USA. Some studies have shown prevalence greater than 50% in both genders, both as victims and perpetrators, with more serious consequences for females. Three main thematic cores were identified in the studies: ADV-related vulnerabilities, circularity of violence and ADV-associated health problems. Data indicate that ADV is deep-seated in the patriarchal culture and is more frequent in connection with racism, heterosexism and poverty. It occurs in a circular way and is linked to other forms of violence in different contexts (family, school, community and social media). It is associated with health problems such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, alcohol and drugs abuse and unprotected sex.

Conclusions:

The knowledge produced in the studies reviewed reveals the urgency and importance of implementing early preventive actions in schools, involving families and the community. These should focus on the deconstruction of current cultural gender patterns, based on their historical origin, in order to support emancipatory and liberating pedagogical approaches.

Systematic review of dating violence questionnaires in Ibero-America and evaluation of their measurement properties

Being a victim or perpetrator of dating violence has been associated with poor mental health, substance abuse, and sexual risk behaviors. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review and to evaluate the quality of the measurement properties of dating violence questionnaires, created or adapted in Ibero-America from 1981 to 2017, for a population aged 12 to 29 years and published in Spanish, English, Portuguese or French. The search was conducted in PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, SCOPUS, SciELO and included manual searches. Two independent researchers conducted both the systematic review and the evaluation of measurement properties. Of 5,812 articles identified, 22 studies involving 16 different questionnaires of dating violence were included. In general, the questionnaires showed evidence of internal consistency, content validity and construct validity, although no study presented evidence of criterion validity, reproducibility, sensitivity, or floor and ceiling effects. Among the cross-cultural adaptations, 42% of them included translation, back translation, committee of experts in translation and piloting. Two questionnaires created, CMN and VADRI/Spain-Mexico and two adaptations of the same questionnaire CTS/Brazil-Mexico received the highest scores .

Linking a History of Childhood Abuse to Adult Health among Canadians: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis

A history of childhood abuse has been linked to serious and long-lasting problems in adulthood. We developed two theoretical models concerning how early adverse experiences affect health in adulthood, and we tested the empirical fit of the two models in a population-based representative sample of Canadian adults (N = 25,113) using a structural equation modelling (SEM) technique, path analysis. The first model included direct pathways by which a history of three types of childhood abuse-exposure to intimate partner violence, physical abuse, and sexual abuse-affected adult physical and mental health, as well as indirect pathways by which perceived social support and everyday life stress acted as mediators of these associations. The second model included only indirect pathways and tested mediating effects. Global statistics indicated that both models were a good fit to the data, and local statistics supported the hypothesized associations between independent, dependent, and mediator variables.

Correlates of Persistent Victimization by Romantic Partners: A Short-Term Prospective Study

There has been limited prospective investigation of correlates of persistent (repeated within and across relationships) physical intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization compared to episodic (not repeated within or across relationships) IPV in young adulthood. The primary aim of the current study was to examine prior victimization, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, psychological IPV (emotional abuse and threats), and remaining with the same partner, as unique correlates of persistent physical IPV during a 6-month period. Female undergraduates who completed baseline and follow-up assessments (n = 254) were classified into victimization groups according to their self-report of physical IPV: no physical IPV (65.0%), persistent IPV (at baseline and follow-up [11.0%]), and episodic IPV (at follow-up [9.8%] or baseline only [14.2%]). Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that the number of prior victimizations, PTSD hyperarousal symptoms, psychological IPV at baseline, and remaining with the same partner at follow-up significantly discriminated the IPV groups. The likelihood of membership in the persistent physical IPV group was associated with all variables. Episodic physical IPV at baseline only was associated with fewer childhood victimizations and being in a new relationship at follow-up. Results highlight assessment and intervention approaches that may assist females experiencing both persistent and episodic physical IPV.

Childhood maltreatment and intimate partner violence victimization: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is a serious public health problem in the world. It is imperative to examine risk factors for IPV victimization.

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aimed to explore the relationship between childhood maltreatment (CM) and IPV victimization and investigate the moderating effects of gender and marital status.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Examination of the literature produced a sample of 56 effect sizes (N = 23,127) for review.

METHODS

PsycINFO, PsycArticles, EBSCO-ERIC, Medline, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses databases were systematically searched until March 31, 2018. Forty-six eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Random effects model was used for meta-analysis of the studies.

RESULTS

Results indicated a significant association between total CM and IPV victimization (r = .18, p < .001). Further subgroup analyses revealed that all four types of CM (childhood physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect) were positively related to IPV victimization (r = .19, .18, .17, and .12, respectively). Moreover, the moderation analyses revealed that the association between CM and IPV victimization was stronger for dating couples than for married ones. However, this relation did not show significant difference between males and females.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an association between CM and IPV victimization, and it is moderated by marital status.

Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Shelters: Correlates of Length of Stay and Subsequent Reentries

The purpose of this study was to examine which variables are associated with the length of stay at a shelter and the likelihood of reentering the shelter after a first stay in a sample of 777 women victims of intimate partner violence. The results showed that the women's health, having been previously abused, and having children with them at the shelter were the best set of correlates for length of shelter stay; lack of social support, having been previously abused, and the abusers' being unemployed increased the risk of repeated use of shelters. The implications for intervention are discussed.

Changes in acceptance of dating violence and physical dating violence victimization in a longitudinal study with teens

Teen dating violence is a pervasive issue in adolescence and has been linked to maladjustment (Temple, Shorey, Fite et al., 2013). Physical dating violence is a particularly significant problem with one in five adolescents reporting experiencing physical teen dating violence (TDV; Wincentak et al., 2017). Acceptance of violence has been suggested to increase the risk of TDV; however, most studies to date have been cross-sectional. The purpose of the current study is to examine patterns of acceptance of dating violence and TDV victimization across time. Participants were ethnically diverse teenagers (N = 1042; ages 13-18) who were followed over a four-year period. Multivariate latent growth curve modeling techniques were used to determine trajectories of physical TDV victimization and attitudes accepting of dating violence. Results showed two trajectories for physical TDV victimization, linear and quadratic, and two trajectories for acceptance of dating violence, non-linear and quadratic. Parallel models investigating the interplay between TDV victimization and acceptance demonstrated two possible trends; however, we did not find any evidence for a longitudinal relationship between the two variables, suggesting that change in acceptance was not related to change in physical TDV victimization. Instead, our results suggest a significant amount of heterogeneity in these trajectories. These findings suggest studies are still needed to further explore longitudinal patterns of TDV to better understand how to reduce the risk of teen dating violence.

The Moderating Role of Attachment on the Association between Childhood Maltreatment and Adolescent Dating Violence

Approximately twenty percent of female and ten percent of male adolescents report violence in their dating relationships and there is a significant association between dating violence in adolescence and later perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood. Identification of factors associated with dating violence can inform intervention and prevention efforts. This study was designed to examine the associations of early childhood maltreatment experience and involvement in adolescent dating violence. It also aimed to identify the moderating effect of insecure attachment styles on these associations. One hundred fifty adolescent who participated in a larger longitudinal study on prenatal drug exposure participated in this study. Participants completed self-report measures of childhood maltreatment at a standard follow-up visit between the ages of 15-19 years. Approximately 18 month later, they completed questionnaires on their attachment styles and level of dating violence perpetration and victimization. Hierarchical regression modeling revealed a significant main effect for childhood abuse but not insecure attachment on perpetration and victimization of dating violence. Avoidant attachment significantly moderated the relationship between childhood abuse exposure and dating violence: For adolescents who reported an avoidant attachment style, an increase in the level of experienced childhood maltreatment predicted significantly higher increases in victimization by dating violence, compared to those did not have avoidant attachment. Results suggest adolescents with child maltreatment history and avoidant attachment styles may be at higher risk for involvement in dating violence and support intervention efforts for fostering attachment relationship to attenuate the association between early exposures to maltreatment and involvement in dating violence later.

Maladaptive schemas as mediators of the relationship between previous victimizations in the family and dating violence victimization in adolescents

This study examined whether exposure to family violence, both in the form of direct victimization and witnessing violence, predicted dating violence victimization in adolescents through maladaptive schemas. A sample of 933 adolescents (445 boys and 488 girls), aged between 13 and 18 (M = 15.10), participated in a three-year longitudinal study. They completed measures of exposure to family violence, maladaptive schemas of disconnection/rejection, and dating violence victimization. The findings indicate that witnessing family violence predicts the increase of dating violence victimization over time, through the mediation of maladaptive schemas in girls, but not in boys. Direct victimization in the family predicts dating violence victimization directly, without the mediation of schemas. In addition, maladaptive schemas contribute to the perpetuation of dating violence victimization over time. These findings provide new opportunities for preventive interventions, as maladaptive schemas can be modified.

A Study Space Analysis and Narrative Review of Trauma-Informed Mediators of Dating Violence

Research linking child maltreatment and dating violence in adolescence and emerging adulthood has proliferated in the past two decades; however, the precise mechanisms by which these experiences are related remain elusive. A trauma-informed perspective suggests four particularly promising mediators: maladaptive attachment, emotion regulation difficulties, emotional distress, and hostility. The current article characterizes the status of the empirical literature examining these four mediators using a study space analysis and a narrative review of existing research. An extensive literature search identified 42 papers (44 studies) that met the following criteria: (1) at least one measure of child maltreatment (emotional, physical, sexual, neglect, or exposure to intimate partner violence); (2) a measure of one of the four mediator variables; (3) a measure of dating violence perpetration or victimization; and (4) a sample of adolescents or young adults. The study space analysis suggested several important observations about the research on this topic, including a dearth of studies examining hostility as a mediator and little research using prospective designs or clinical samples. There are also limitations with the conceptualization and measurement of dating violence, child maltreatment, and some of the mediator variables. In addition, few studies examined more than one mediator variable in the same study. The narrative review suggested that maladaptive attachment (specifically insecure attachment styles), emotion regulation difficulties (specifically regulation of the emotion of anger), and emotional distress construed broadly represent promising mediators of the association between child maltreatment and dating violence, but conclusions about mediation must remain tentative given the state of the literature. The discussion offers recommendations for improved theoretical and empirical rigor to advance future research on mechanisms linking child maltreatment and dating violence.

The role of dissociation in revictimization across the lifespan: A 32-year prospective study

Exposure to childhood abuse puts women at risk for revictimization in adult intimate relationships, but knowledge about the mechanism by which it occurs is limited. The present study investigated whether dissociation mediates the effect of exposure to physical or sexual child abuse on intimate partner violence in adulthood. We tested this using prospective data collected from birth to age 32 from 80 female participants in the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation. We found that women who experienced sexual or physical abuse during the first 17.5 years of life (n = 37) were more likely (r = 0.30, p < .01) to experience intimate partner violence in adulthood (ages 20-32). Furthermore, we found that dissociation partially mediated this effect. Specifically, exposure to childhood abuse predicted greater dissociation in late adolescence (age 19), which in turn predicted more intimate partner violence during early to mid-adulthood. The results of this study highlight the mediating role played by dissociation in the revictimization of women abused during childhood, and speak to the need to develop interventions designed to prevent intimate partner violence among abused girls or adult women with a history of abuse.

Etiology of Teen Dating Violence among Adolescent Children of Alcoholics

Family processes in early life have been implicated in adolescent involvement in teen dating violence, yet the developmental pathways through which this occurs are not well understood. In this study, etiological pathways from parental psychopathology and marital conflict in infancy to involvement in dating violence in late adolescence were examined in a sample of children at high-risk due to parental alcohol problems. Families (N = 227) recruited when the child was 12 months of age were assessed at 12-, 24-, 36-months, kindergarten, 6th, 8th, and 12th grades. Slightly more than half of the children were female (51%) and the majority were of European American descent (91%). Parental psychopathology in infancy was indirectly associated with teen dating violence in late adolescence via low maternal warmth and self-regulation in early childhood, externalizing behavior from kindergarten to early adolescence, and sibling problems in middle childhood. Marital conflict was also indirectly associated with teen dating violence via child externalizing behavior. Maternal warmth and sensitivity in early childhood emerged as an important protective factor and was associated with reduced marital conflict and increased child self-regulation in the preschool years as well as increased parental monitoring in middle childhood and early adolescence. Family processes occurring in the preschool years and in middle childhood appear to be critical periods for creating conditions that contribute to dating violence risk in late adolescence. These findings underscore the need for early intervention and prevention with at-risk families.

Sex Disparities in Adverse Childhood Experiences and HIV/STIs: Mediation of Psychopathology and Sexual Behaviors

HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are important public health challenges in the US. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including abuse (emotional, physical or sexual), witnessing violence among household members, may have an effect on sexual behaviors, which increase the risk of HIV/STIs. The aim of this study was to examine the sex differences in the role of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression (MD), substance use disorders (SUDs), early sexual debut, and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration as mediators in the association between ACEs and HIV/STIs. Data were obtained from Wave 2 (2004-2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the role of PTSD, MD, SUDs, early sexual debut, and IPV perpetration as mediators in the relationships between ACEs and HIV/STIs. Differences and similarities existed in the mediational roles of psychopathology and sexual behaviors. For example, among men, MD fully mediated physical/psychological abuse (β = 0.0002; p = 0.012) and sexual abuse (β = 0.0002; p = 0.006), and HIV/STIs while among women, MD fully mediated physical/psychological abuse (β = 0.0005; p < 0.001) and parental violence (β = -0.0002; p = 0.012). Among men, IPV perpetration fully mediated sexual abuse (β = -0.0005; p = 0.012) and HIV/STIs while among women, IPV perpetration was not a statistically significant mediator. HIV/STI prevention and intervention programs should use a life course approach by addressing adverse childhood events among men and women and consider the sex differences in the roles of psychopathology and sexual behaviors.

A Three-Step Latent Class Analysis to Identify How Different Patterns of Teen Dating Violence and Psychosocial Factors Influence Mental Health

Although multiple forms (i.e., physical, threatening, psychological, sexual, and relational abuse) and patterns (i.e., perpetration and victimization) of violence can co-occur, most existing research examines these experiences individually. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate: (1) homogenous subgroups based on victimization and perpetration of multiple forms of teen dating violence; (2) predictors of membership in these subgroups; and (3) mental health consequences associated with membership in each subgroup. Nine hundred eighteen adolescents in the 9^th or 10^th grade at seven public high schools in Texas participated in the survey (56 % female, White: 30 %, Hispanic: 32 %, African American: 29 %, others: 9 %). A three-step latent class analysis was employed. Five latent teen dating violence classes were identified: (1) nonviolence; (2) emotional/verbal abuse; (3) forced sexual contact; (4) psychological + physical violence; and (5) psychological abuse. Females, African Americans, and youth who had higher acceptance of couple violence scores and whose parents had less education were more likely to members of dating violence classes compared with the nonviolence class. Adolescents who experienced multiple types of dating violence reported greater mental health concerns. Prevention programs may benefit by identifying the homogenous subgroups of teen dating violence and targeting adolescent teen dating violence accordingly.

Substantiated Childhood Maltreatment and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in Young Adulthood: A Birth Cohort Study

Little is known about the associations between various types of childhood maltreatment and multiple forms of intimate partner violence victimization in early adulthood. This study examines the extent to which childhood experiences of maltreatment increase the risk for intimate partner violence victimization in early adulthood. Data for the present study are from 3322 young adults (55 % female) of the Mater Hospital-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy with the mean age of 20.6 years. The Mater Hospital-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy is a prospective Australian pre-birth cohort study of mothers consecutively recruited during their first antenatal clinic visit at Brisbane's Mater Hospital from 1981 through to 1983. Participants completed the Composite Abuse Scale at 21-year follow-up and linked this dataset to agency recorded substantiated cases of childhood maltreatment. In adjusted models, the odds of reporting emotional intimate partner violence victimization were 1.84, 2.64 and 3.19 times higher in physically abused, neglected and emotionally abused children, respectively. Similarly, the odds of physical intimate partner violence victimization were 1.76, 2.31, 2.74 and 2.76 times higher in those children who had experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and emotional abuse, respectively. Harassment was 1.63 times higher in emotionally abused children. The odds of severe combined abuse were 3.97 and 4.62 times greater for emotionally abused and neglected children, respectively. The strongest associations involved reports of child emotional abuse and neglect and multiple forms of intimate partner violence victimization in young adulthood. Childhood maltreatment is a chronic adversity that is associated with specific and multiple forms of intimate partner violence victimization in adulthood.