Childhood Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Adult Mental Health Problems: Relationships with Gender and Age of Exposure
Abstract
Relatively little is known about the associations between childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and adulthood mental health problems. This study used 2,500 Swedish young adults’ retrospective self-reports to determine the prevalence of childhood exposure to IPV and examine the relationships between such exposure and gender, age of exposure and adult mental health problems. Twenty-eight percent of participants reported any childhood exposure to IPV. Exposure was more common among women, who were also younger at first exposure and exposed to more severe violence than men. Both exposure and severity of IPV were related to all mental health problems examined. The interaction of IPV exposure and gender, while significant, explained relatively little of the variance in mental health problems.
Publication Title
Journal of Family Violence
Recommended Citation
Cater, Å., Miller, L., Howell, K., & Graham-Bermann, S. (2015). Childhood Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Adult Mental Health Problems: Relationships with Gender and Age of Exposure. Journal of Family Violence, 30 (7), 875-886. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9703-0
