Effects of Childhood Experiences of Family Violence on Adult Partner Violence: A Meta‐Analytic Review
Abstract
This meta‐analysis examined the association between being raised in a physically violent home and becoming an adult victim or perpetrator of physical intimate partner violence ( IPV ). We also explored the effects of sex of child victim and sex of parent perpetrator. In total, 124 studies, which reported 288 effect sizes measuring the association between witnessing interparental violence and/or experiencing child abuse and adult IPV , were included. Results revealed small effect sizes, with stronger effect sizes for perpetration than for victimization. The relationship between experiencing family‐of‐origin violence and subsequent IPV perpetration was significantly stronger for males than for females. The relationship between experiencing family‐of‐origin violence and subsequent IPV victimization was significantly stronger for females than for males.
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A plethora of research, including a systematic review, has underscored the complex processes involved in the transmission of IPV.
“Yet, a plethora of research (Muniz & Zavala, 2023; Smith-Marek et al., 2015; Weir et al., 2021), including a systematic review (Kimber et al., 2018) have underscored the complex processes involved in the transmission of IPV.”
From Theoretical Analysis of the Cycle of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review (2025) · cites this paper as Smith-Marek et al., 2015
Past meta-analyses have shown that a person's CM is significantly related to their own higher perpetration and victimization of IPV with an effect of a small magnitude (r = .19; Godbout et al., 2019; r = .18; Li et al., 2019; r = .21; Smith-Marek et al., 2015).
“As past meta-analyses have shown that a person’s CM is significantly related to their own higher perpetration and victimization of IPV with an effect of a small magnitude (r = .19; Godbout et al., 2019; r = .18; Li et al., 2019; r = .21; Smith-Marek et al., 2015), most partners might be both perpetrators and victims.”
From Partner Effects of Childhood Maltreatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2024) · cites this paper as Smith-Marek et al., 2015
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Yakubovich, A. R., Stöckl, H., Murray, J., Melendez-Torres, G. J., Steinert, J. I., Glavin, C. E. Y., & Humphreys, D. K. (2018) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.2018.304428 · Cited by 349 · see citing works
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Intimate partner violence in male survivors of child maltreatment: A meta-analysis
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Partner Effects of Childhood Maltreatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
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“…have shown that a person’s CM is significantly related to their own higher perpetration and vic-timization of IPV with an effect of a small magnitude ( r = .19; Godbout et al., 2019; r = .18; Li et al., 2019; r = .21; Smith-Marek et al., 2015), most partners might be both perpetrators and victims.”
BackgroundChildhood Maltreatment, Personality Pathology, and Intimate Partner Aggression
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Theoretical Analysis of the Cycle of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review
McCloud, B., & Abdullah, A. (2025) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/15248380241301781 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
- Authors
- Smith‐Marek, E. N., Cafferky, B., Dharnidharka, P., Mallory, A. B., Dominguez, M., High, J., Stith, S. M., & Mendez, M.
- Affiliations
- Kansas State University (US)
- Loma Linda University (US)
- Kansas State University
- Corresponding author
- Smith‐Marek, Erika N.
- Venue
- Journal of Family Theory & Review
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-12
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 498-519
- ISSN
- 1756-2570 (ISSN-L)
- 1756-2589
- OpenAlex
- W2184110310
- Cited by
- 188
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 7
- FWCI
- 10.90
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Family Theory & Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Keywords
- childhood family violence, intimate partner violence, physical violence, child abuse, interparental violence, IPV perpetration, IPV victimization, sex differences, child sex
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