Living in Partner-Violent Families: Developmental Links to Antisocial Behavior and Relationship Violence

• NCJ Number: 226377
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 38 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2009 Pages: 323-339
• Author(s): Timothy O. Ireland; Carolyn A. Smith
• Date Published: March 2009
• Length: 17 pages
• Grant Number(s): 5 RO-1DA20344; 5 RO-1 DA05512; 86-JN-CX-0007; SBRO9123299; P30 HD3204; SBR-9512290
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation; Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP); National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Using prospective data from the Rochester Youth Development Study (RYDS), an ongoing longitudinal study of the development of antisocial behavior in a community sample of 1,000 urban youth followed from age 14 to adulthood, the current study tested the general hypothesis that there is a relationship between living in partner-violent homes during adolescence and later antisocial behavior and relationship violence.

Abstract

The study found that violent interactions as young adults were significantly linked to exposure to severe parental partner violence as an adolescent. Exposure to severe parental violence predicted being in a violent relationship as a young adult some years later; however, physical child abuse did not apparently exert this predictive impact on violence in relationships as an adult. This suggests the specific dynamic of learning power and control tactics within the family combined with a lack of development of alternative conflict management strategies within intimate relationships. Suggestions are offered for future research. The initial sample of 1,000 adolescents was selected from the population of seventh and eighth graders in the Rochester public schools (New York) in 1988. High-risk youth were over-sampled on male gender and on residence in high-crime areas of the city. Intimate partner violence among parents for the first generation of youth was assessed with the Conflict Tactics Scale. Severe intimate partner violence was defined as kicking, biting, or hitting the partner, hitting the partner with something, beating up the partner, choking the partner, threatening to use a weapon against a partner; or actually using a weapon against a partner. Physical abuse of a child was measured with data from Child Protective Service records. Phase-two data were used to assess early adulthood behavioral outcomes. This included data from the Conflict Tactics Scale regarding the existence and severity of intimate partner violence. 3 tables and 111 references