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A National Epidemiologic Profile of Physical Intimate Partner Violence, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Supportive Childhood Relationships: Group Differences in Predicted Trends and Associations

Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities volume 7, pages 660–670 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common in the USA and associated with multiple health sequelae. Physical intimate partner violence (IPV) is a type of revictimization that some adults with ACEs may be more prone to. Positive and supportive childhood environments may buffer the effects of ACEs, but little is known about the differential associations between physical IPV and ACEs and supportive childhood environments. We sought to illustrate racial/ethnic and gender differences in the adjusted predicted probability of physical IPV across multiple ACE and supportive childhood scores.

Methods

We used multivariate linear regression to model the predicted probability of experiencing physical IPV across ACE (physical, psychological, sexual, household environment, mother’s abuse) and supportive childhood scores in a national sample (National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, 2012–2013, n = 35,614). Data analyses were conducted in 2019.

Results

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women demonstrated the highest proportion of experiencing physical IPV (21%). AI/AN men had the highest mean physical ACE score (1.6/4), while AI/AN women had the highest mean scores for all other ACE typologies. ACE scores were positively associated with predicted physical IPV among women, and among AI/AN women in particular. Supportive childhood scores were negatively associated with predicted physical IPV primarily among women.

Conclusion

Physical IPV and ACEs are exceedingly high among AI/AN women. A better understanding of differential associations between childhood experiences and IPV is needed to more effectively tailor childhood and family-based health promotion strategies among multiple diverse communities.

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Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities under Award Number U54MD012388.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University, 1395 South Knoles Drive, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA

    George Pro & Carmenlita Chief

  2. Center for Health Equity Research, Department of Health Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 1395 South Knoles Drive, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA

    Ricky Camplain & Nicolette Teufel-Shone

  3. Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, Northern Arizona University, 5 East McConnell Drive, Flagstaff, AZ, USA

    Brooke de Heer

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  1. George Pro
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Correspondence to George Pro.

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Pro, G., Camplain, R., de Heer, B. et al. A National Epidemiologic Profile of Physical Intimate Partner Violence, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Supportive Childhood Relationships: Group Differences in Predicted Trends and Associations. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 7, 660–670 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-019-00696-4

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Keywords

  • Adverse childhood experiences
  • Positive childhood experiences
  • Physical intimate partner violence
  • Health disparities