Witnessing intimate partner violence as a child: How boys and girls model their parents’ behaviors in adolescence

In the majority of studies that generated counter-predictive findings, the authors justified the findings within the same theoretical framework and supported such justifications with methodological and contextual limitations.

“It is therefore not surprising that in the majority of the studies that generated counter-predictive findings, the authors justified the findings within the same theoretical framework, and supported such justifications with methodological and contextual limitations (Craft & Serovich, 2005; Eriksson & Mazerolle, 2015; Forke et al., 2018; Gover et al., 2008; Shields et al., 2020).”

Four studies were informed by attachment theory suggesting that a lack of parental attachment or decreased support during adolescence may increase the risk for combined victimization or perpetration for children who witnessed violence in the family-of-origin.

“Four studies were informed by attachment theory suggesting that a lack of parental attachment or decreased support during adolescence may increase the risk for combined victimization or perpetration for children who witnessed violence in the family-of-origin (Forke et al., 2018).”

Evidence from some included studies on the effects of child maltreatment and the link between exposure to IPV and later IPV perpetration highlights a potential case for multi-theory examination.

“Evidence from some of the included studies on the effects of child maltreatment and the link between exposure to IPV and later IPV perpetration highlight a potential case for multi-theory examination (Eriksson & Mazerolle, 2015; Forke et al., 2018; Shields et al., 2020), as it shows the impact of poly-victimization experiences on IPV transmission (Emery et al., 2022; Finkelhor et al., 2007).”

The utilization of SLT theory in IPV research corroborates claims that the theory is useful for learning about behavioral modeling and transmission of observed behaviors.

“On the surface, the utilization of SLT theory in IPV research corroborates claims that the theory is useful for learning about behavioral modeling and transmission of observed behaviors (Copp et al., 2019; Forke et al., 2018; Valgardson & Schwartz, 2019).”

Three studies from the United States found that IPV exposure increased the likelihood of IPV perpetration for men, and higher victimization rates for exposed women.

“Three studies from the United States (Forke et al., 2018, 2021; Heyman & Smith Slep, 2002) found similar results supporting IPV exposure increasing the likelihood of IPV perpetration for men, and higher victimization rates for exposed women.”

Forke et al. (2018) found that insecure attachment, lack of care, and shaming by parents are among the key variables that impact IPV perpetration in adulthood.

“Guided by attachment theory, the research of Forke et al. (2018) revealed the impact of insecure attachment, lack of care, and shaming by parents as among the key variables that impact IPV perpetration in adulthood.”