title: Perpetration patterns and environmental contexts of IPV in Sweden: relationships with adult mental health.
abstract: Although excellent data exist on the overall prevalence of childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV), there is less information available on the specific patterns of IPV exposure in childhood and how they influence adult mental health. The current study examines 703 Swedish adults who reported exposure to IPV in childhood. Participants were part of a large national study on violence exposure. They provided an extensive history of their exposure to IPV and maltreatment experiences during childhood via electronically administered questionnaires. Mean comparison and multivariate regression methods were employed to assess differences in violence severity by reported perpetration pattern (mother-only, father-only, bidirectional or other), the association between violence severity and environmental context, and the contribution of these characteristics to adult mental health outcomes. Overall, violence perpetrated in public and by fathers was more severe and was related to poorer mental health outcomes in adulthood for child witnesses. These findings provide important insight into possible clinical "flags" for identifying children at high risk for exposure to IPV and abuse in the home.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, 107 Haggar Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: School of Law, Psychology and Social work, Örebro University, 701 82 Örebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: Asa Källström
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Cater
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, 202 Psychology Building, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.affiliation: Psychology and Psychiatry, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1043, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Graham-Bermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005220:Fathers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology; D013548:Sweden
keywords: Child maltreatment; Environment; IPV; Perpetration patterns; Sweden