Early Childhood Exposure to Parental Intimate Partner Violence and Romantic Relationship Initiation in Adolescence

• In Event: Children as a Focal Point in Family Violence Research

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) between parents during early childhood on the timing of adolescents' entry into romantic relationships. Utilizing a Survival Analysis statistical design, I sought to elucidate the relationship between early exposure to IPV and the developmental trajectories of romantic involvement in adolescence. The analysis reveals a significant difference in the timing of entering romantic relationships between individuals exposed to parental IPV and those not exposed. Specifically, I found that exposure to IPV in early childhood is associated with an altered timeline for initiating romantic relationships during adolescence. By highlighting the delayed or hastened onset of adolescent romantic relationships linked to early exposure to IPV, this research underscores the importance of interventions aimed at mitigating the effects of such exposure and supports a broader theoretical framework for understanding the diverse outcomes of children raised in environments characterized by violence.

Author

• Gabriel Alvarez, University of California, Irvine