Effects of Intimate Partner Violence

Today, I examine three studies related to intimate partner violence (IPV), looking first at effects of trauma exposure. Stein, Galano, Grogan-Kaylor, Clark, Hall & Graham-Bermann (2023) published “Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Across 8 Years: Contributions of the posttraumatic stress symptom domains” in Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.  Here are the edited abstract and impact statements:

Although much remains unknown about what creates risk for women’s intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization across time, trauma exposure and mental health are likely contributors. Specifically, posttraumatic stress (PTS) is a risk factor for IPV victimization, yet we know less about the unique contributions of PTS symptom domains to IPV risk. Identification of PTS symptom domains that confer risk for IPV has the potential to inform novel targets of intervention. This study follows women with children (N = 118) across 8 years to identify the trauma exposure, mental health, and sociodemographic factors that contribute to IPV victimization risk using longitudinal multilevel modeling. Higher levels of PTS symptoms were associated with initially greater number of IPV victimization acts experienced (i.e., “IPV victimization”). However, across time, women with higher PTS symptoms decreased more quickly in IPV victimization than those with lower PTS symptoms. Higher levels of PTS arousal and reexperiencing were each associated with initially higher levels of IPV victimization. In addition, higher levels of PTS reexperiencing and arousal remained associated with higher levels of IPV victimization across time. Women’s age was inversely related to IPV victimization over time only when accounting for the PTS symptom domains. Findings are that collapsing PTS symptoms into an overall construct may be too imprecise to identify key mechanisms for IPV victimization risk. IPV prevention should prioritize addressing reexperiencing and arousal symptoms to curb future IPV victimization.

Women with more posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms had more intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization, although over time this did not persist. We then examined the contributions of the PTS symptom domains to IPV risk: more arousal and reexperiencing were each associated with more IPV victimization over time. Our findings suggest that PTS is an important risk factor for IPV victimization but that it is important to assess the symptom domains and not just the total amount of symptoms. Furthermore, treatments targeting arousal and reexperiencing symptoms may help reduce future IPV victimization. 

It’s not a huge sample but the longitudinal nature of the study is important. It is fascinating that post-traumatic stress symptoms correlate with initially higher levels of IPV. I also like the finding that it is important to look at specific symptom domains. Arousal and re-experiencing seem to relate to IPV over time more than other symptom domains. The next study makes a different distinction and looks at effects on children. Gower, Jouriles, Rosenfield & McDonald (2022) published “Physical and Psychological Intimate Partner Violence: Relations with child threat appraisals and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Journal of Family Psychology. Here’s the edited abstract:

This study examined whether interparental physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) have additive effects on child threat appraisals and internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and whether relations between psychological IPV and child difficulties differ when physical IPV has occurred, as compared to when it has not occurred. Participants were 531 children (51% male) aged 7–10 years and their mothers. Children reported on IPV, and on their threat appraisals; children and mothers both reported on child internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Families participated in three assessments spaced 6 months apart. Results indicated that physical and psychological IPV had additive effects on child threat appraisals and child reports of disruptive behavior problems, but not on other measures of child internalizing or externalizing symptoms. Results of moderator analyses indicated that relations between psychological IPV and mothers’ reports of child internalizing symptoms, and between psychological IPV and child reports of disruptive behavior problems were stronger when physical IPV had occurred. Notably, psychological IPV was also associated with child threat appraisals, anxiety symptoms, and disruptive behavior problems even in the absence of physical IPV. The findings suggest that in child and family research and service settings, when aspects of the interparental relationship are relevant, the risks posed by psychological IPV should be considered.

This is a complicated abstract but I think it’s important. This is a nice sample size with a moderate-term study. It’s not at all surprising that physical and psychological violence have additive effects on children on disruptive behavior problems. I think it is especially fascinating that it is psychological IPV that correlates with child threat appraisals, anxiety symptoms, and disruptive behavior problems without physical IPV. The final study again looks at children exposed to IPV. Schulz, Wood, Fogarty, Brown, Gartland & Giallo (2023) published “Intimate partner violence exposure during infancy and social functioning in middle childhood: An Australian mother and child cohort study” in Child Development. Here’s the edited abstract and parts of the discussion:

Social functioning of children with experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) between caregivers in early childhood has received less attention than emotional–behavioral outcomes. Drawing on data from 1507 ten-year-old Australian-born children and their mothers participating in a community-based longitudinal study, this study examined the associations between IPV exposure during infancy and social development during middle childhood. IPV during the first 12 months of life was associated with lower social skills, higher peer problems, and peer victimization at age 10 years, while accounting for concurrent IPV. This study provides evidence for the long-term impacts of early-life IPV exposure on children's social functioning, and the importance of prevention and early intervention programs focused on social development following experiences of IPV.

This study used a longitudinal cohort to examine the relationship between children's experiences of IPV between their mother and an intimate partner during infancy and social functioning in middle childhood. Importantly, our findings revealed that early-life experiences of IPV can have enduring effects on children's social functioning. 

We found that early-life experiences of IPV between caregivers were associated with lower social skills and behaviors reflecting responsibility (e.g., ability to follow rules), communication (e.g., communicate in appropriate tone of voice), cooperation with others (e.g., take turns), and self-control (e.g., remain calm when disagreeing with others) at 10 years. Children who had experienced IPV in early life were also reported to have more peer problems such as difficulties making friends and not being liked by other children. We also found that they were more likely to be victimized by peers such as being picked on, bullied, physically harmed, or have had their relationships with others harmed

The current study provides a unique contribution to the evidence of children's early-life experiences of IPV and longer-term social outcomes by drawing upon data from a community-based sample of mothers and their firstborn children, rather than clinical populations or samples from domestic violence shelters. The study addressed limitations of previous research by addressing multiple domains of social functioning utilizing a comprehensive and validated measurement model of social functioning, along with a comprehensive measure of IPV assessing both physical and emotional abuse. The study also controlled for IPV in the 10th year of life, and several socioeconomic and demographic factors including maternal age, maternal employment, education, healthcare card status, and number of children. 

Providing early intervention focused on social skills and relationships for children with experiences of IPV during infancy as well as caregivers may support children to develop healthy attachments with parents, emotion regulation capabilities, and development of social skills that will support engagement in positive peer relationships. Developing these skills may be vital in facilitating healthy relationships across the lifespan and preventing long term use of violence, or victimization of violence. 

I love this study in part because it draws on a community sample and is a large sample. I love this last paragraph as a directive to practitioners who work with children whose mothers have been exposed to IPV. Taken together, I think these three studies may be very helpful in generating good questions to ask when woman and children have been exposed to IPV.