Adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence: testing psychosocial mediational pathways among couples.
OBJECTIVE
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with an increased likelihood of intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood. We tested whether psychosocial factors, such as depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and problem drinking, mediate associations between ACEs and IPV.


METHODS
Couple data from a cross-sectional sample of married/cohabiting couples residing in 50 medium-to-large California cities (n = 1861 couples) were used. Hypothesized relationships among male and female ACE, male-to-female partner violence (MFPV) and female-to-male partner violence (FMPV), frequency of intoxication, depression, impulsivity, and anxiety were tested with structural equation path models, and the significance of both individual direct paths and indirect associations was determined.


RESULTS
Male and female partners had positive direct associations between ACEs and depression, anxiety, and impulsivity. Males' anxiety and impulsivity and females' depression were positively related to MFPV. Males' depression and frequency of intoxication and females' depression, were positively related to FMPV. Indirect associations between male ACEs and MPFV via depression; male ACEs and FMPV via anxiety and impulsivity; and female ACEs and MPFV and FMPV via depression were all positive and significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Adverse childhood experiences impact IPV partially through psychosocial characteristics. Interventions targeted at reducing ACEs and subsequent psychosocial outcomes may help reduce adult IPV.
Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA. cmair@prev.org
Christina
C
Mair
Carol B
CB
Cunradi
Michael
M
Todd
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires