Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Manifestation of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration among College Students: Gendered Perspective

ABSTRACT

Purpose

This study examined the effect of five types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) perpetration and IPV victimization for male and female students (N = 3,682).

Method

The data came from seven universities in the U.S. and Canada using multivariate logistic regression models.

Results

For female students, peer victimization (PV), childhood maltreatment (CM), exposure to domestic violence (EDV), drug use, and depression were significantly associated with higher odds of IPV perpetration. For male students, IPV perpetration was significantly associated with PV, CM, other physical and sexual violence (PSV), and alcohol use. IPV victimization was significantly associated with CM, EDV, PSV, drug use, and depression for female students. For male students, CM, PSV, alcohol use, and depression were associated with higher odds of IPV victimization.

Discussion

Because gender-specificity exists in the transmission process of ACEs and other risk factors for IPV, developing gender-specific approaches to IPV prevention and intervention on college campuses is necessary.

KEYWORDS:

• Adverse childhood experiences
• intimate partner violence
• college students
• gender differences

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.