Sex Differences in Correlates of Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration among Marginalized Adolescents

• In Event: Invariance and Moderators of ACEs and Parental Attachment on Delinquency and Interpersonal Violence

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV), a paradoxical phenomenon of harming someone that one also loves, either physically or psychologically, remains a serious public health concern in the United States and worldwide. Extant literature has principally focused on physical IPV, describing the experiences of females, and on adult samples, despite the agreed-upon view about the importance of early intervention and better understanding early presentations of IPV. The present study examined psychological IPV in a large sample of adolescent males and females. We tested sex differences in psychological IPV perpetration via known correlates: low self-control, age, academic achievements and secure peer and parent attachments, using cross-sectional data from N = 1,452, 14–20-year-olds (52.4% males) at behavioral health facilities and alternative high schools in a Western state, using structural equation modeling. Males and females reported similar mean-levels of perpetration. Of all the predictors, low self-control was most strongly associated with IPV perpetration for both males and females (β = .31 and .24). Higher grade point average was associated with lower scores of IPV only for males (β = -.19, p < .001). Attachment variables were unrelated to IPV. Implications of findings are discussed within the context of adverse life experiences.

Authors

• Magda Javakhishvili, Utah State University

• Scott Crapo, Utah State University

• Kay Bradford, Utah State University

• Brian Higginbotham, Utah State University