Cited by 145Intimate Partner and Family ViolenceChild Abuse and TraumaAttachment and Relationship Dynamics

Adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence: testing psychosocial mediational pathways among couples

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Mair, Christina, Cunradi, Carol B., Todd, Michael·2012·Annals of Epidemiology

Abstract

Purpose Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with an increased likelihood of intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood. We tested whether psychosocial factors, such as depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and problem drinking, mediate associations between ACEs and IPV. Methods Couple data from a cross-sectional sample of married/cohabiting couples residing in 50 medium-to-large California cities (n = 1861 couples) were used. Hypothesized relationships among male and female ACE, male-to-female partner violence (MFPV) and female-to-male partner violence (FMPV), frequency of intoxication, depression, impulsivity, and anxiety were tested with structural equation path models, and the significance of both individual direct paths and indirect associations was determined. Results Male and female partners had positive direct associations between ACEs and depression, anxiety, and impulsivity. Males' anxiety and impulsivity and females' depression were positively related to MFPV. Males' depression and frequency of intoxication and females' depression, were positively related to FMPV. Indirect associations between male ACEs and MPFV via depression; male ACEs and FMPV via anxiety and impulsivity; and female ACEs and MPFV and FMPV via depression were all positive and significant. Conclusions Adverse childhood experiences impact IPV partially through psychosocial characteristics. Interventions targeted at reducing ACEs and subsequent psychosocial outcomes may help reduce adult IPV.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.annepidem.2012.09.008

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  • Men's adverse childhood experience was related to their partner's higher impulsivity and frequency of intoxication (Mair et al., 2012).

    “men’s adverse childhood experience was related to their partner’s higher impulsivity and frequency of intoxication (Mair et al., 2012)”

    From Partner Effects of Childhood Maltreatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2024) · cites this paper as Mair et al., 2012

    The Results report that men’s ACE scores were positively related to their own impulsivity, and the Discussion describes a significant pathway from men’s ACEs through their own impulsivity and intoxication. Neither passage establishes the claimed relationship with their partners’ impulsivity or intoxication frequency. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Women's adverse childhood experiences were not significantly related to their partner's impulsivity and frequency of intoxication (Mair et al., 2012).

    “Women’s adverse childhood experiences were not significantly related to their partner’s impulsivity and frequency of intoxication (Mair et al., 2012)”

    From Partner Effects of Childhood Maltreatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2024) · cites this paper as Mair et al., 2012

    The Results section reports significant associations between each partner’s ACEs and their own impulsivity, but does not report whether women’s ACEs were associated with their male partners’ impulsivity or intoxication frequency. Searches for cross-partner associations and Table 4 did not yield a passage establishing the claimed nonsignificant relationships. (LLM, conf=0.70)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [29]Straus MA Hamby SL Boney-McCoy S Sugarman DB The revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CYS2): Development and preliminary psychometric data Journal of Family Issues 1996 17 3 283 316

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Authors
Mair, C., Cunradi, C. B., & Todd, M.
Affiliations
Pacific Institute For Research and Evaluation (US)
Corresponding author
Mair, Christina
Venue
Annals of Epidemiology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2012-12
Volume
22
Issue
12
Pages
832-839
ISSN
1047-2797 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2154592217
Cited by
145
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 5
FWCI
5.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Annals of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (1R01AA017705-3, R01AA017705)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
Keywords
adverse childhood experiences, intimate partner violence, mediation, depression, anxiety, impulsivity, problem drinking, poisoning, couples, psychosocial risk factors
MeSH terms
Alcohol Drinking, Anxiety, Bayes Theorem, California, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Interpersonal Relations, Interviews as Topic, Life Change Events, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Sexual Partners, Spouse Abuse, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Prevalence, Child of Impaired Parents, Sex Distribution

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