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The Influence of Individual and Partner Characteristics on the Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adult Relationships

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Abstract

This study examines individual and partner characteristics associated with the perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in young adult relationships with opposite sex partners. Using data from Waves 1 and 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study examined 1,275 young adults’ heterosexual romantic relationships. Controlling for the effects of family and school correlates measured in adolescence, we examined the extent to which participants’ general violent behavior in young adulthood and their partners’ use of violence in their relationship influence participants’ IPV perpetration. We found that both having general violent tendencies and being a target of violence in a relationship influenced one’s likelihood of young adults perpetrating IPV. We also tested whether the overall influence of participants’ general violent behavior on IPV perpetration was moderated by their partners’ use of violence in the relationship. We found that young women’s greatest expression of violent tendencies emerged when in relationships with violent men; yet, when partnered with non-violent men, young women’s own violent tendencies did not lead to IPV. We found little evidence for the interactive effect for young men in the study. The lack of a significant interaction in the model indicated that young men’s general aggression was not conditioned on their partners’ use of physical aggression in their relationships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminal Justice, Indiana University, Sycamore Hall 311, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA

    Veronica M. Herrera

  2. Human Development and Family Studies, Texas Tech University, 5502 56th Street, #601, Lubbock, TX, 79414, USA

    Jacquelyn D. Wiersma

  3. Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, 211 Henderson Building South, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    H. Harrington Cleveland

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  1. Veronica M. Herrera
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  2. Jacquelyn D. Wiersma
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  3. H. Harrington Cleveland
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Correspondence to Veronica M. Herrera.

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Herrera, V.M., Wiersma, J.D. & Cleveland, H.H. The Influence of Individual and Partner Characteristics on the Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adult Relationships. J Youth Adolescence 37, 284–296 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-007-9249-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-007-9249-4

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