Child Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence After Soldiers’ Deployment

Abstract

Many military personnel returning from deployment have significant mental health issues, which may impact family functioning. This descriptive study examines 1,702 child maltreatment incidents involving previously deployed soldiers to identify characteristics associated with intimate partner violence committed on the same day as the child maltreatment incident. Such events were more likely to be committed by male parents, to consist of emotional abuse, and to involve offender alcohol use. Soldier concerns regarding interpersonal conflict predicted co-occurring intimate partner violence, but depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) did not. Better understanding of co-occurrence may suggest opportunities for prevention and early intervention services.

Keywords:

• Military
• intimate partner violence
• child maltreatment
• deployment
• co-occurring
• Army
• soldier
• emotional abuse
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• depression
• interpersonal conflict

Acknowledgments

Financial support for this research was provided by the Department of Defense, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Contract No. W81XWH-04-1-0073.