Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood: a gender perspective

Abstract Aims Investigate the prevalence of adverse childhood experience (ACE) and intimate partner violence (IPV) using a large representative Chinese sample, explore the association mechanism between ACE and adult exposure to IPV and to examine gender differences. Methods A total of 21,154 partic...

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Main Authors: Zheng Tian, Nan Zhang, Yimiao Li, Yibo Wu, Lan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2024-01-01
Series:Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2045796024000775/type/journal_article
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author Zheng Tian
Nan Zhang
Yimiao Li
Yibo Wu
Lan Wang
author_facet Zheng Tian
Nan Zhang
Yimiao Li
Yibo Wu
Lan Wang
author_sort Zheng Tian
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Aims Investigate the prevalence of adverse childhood experience (ACE) and intimate partner violence (IPV) using a large representative Chinese sample, explore the association mechanism between ACE and adult exposure to IPV and to examine gender differences. Methods A total of 21,154 participants were included in this study. The ACE scale was used to assess participants’ exposure to ACE before the age of 18. Participants were evaluated for IPV experienced after the age of 18 using the IPV Scale. Logistic regression model was used to analyse the association between ACE and the risk of IPV exposure in adulthood. Principal component analysis was used to extract the main patterns of ACEs in the Chinese population. Network analyses were employed to identify the most critical types of ACE and IPV, analyse the association mechanisms between ACEs and IPVs, explore gender differences in this association and compare gender differences in the severity of IPVs experienced in adulthood. Results Participants with at least one ACE event faced a 215.5% higher risk of IPV compared to those without ACE experiences. In population-wide and gender-specific networks, The ACE and IPV nodes with the highest expected influence are ‘ACE1 (Verbal abuse + physical abuse pattern)’ and ‘IPV5 (Partner compares me to other people and blatantly accuses me, making me feel embarrassed and unsure of myself)’. Positive correlations were found between ‘ACE1 (Verbal abuse + physical abuse pattern)’–‘IPV3 (Partner does not care about me when I am in bad shape [not feeling well or in a bad mood])’, ‘ACE4 (Violent treatment of mother or stepmother + criminal acts in the family pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ and ‘ACE2 (Exposure to sexual assault pattern)’–‘IPV2 (Partner would have physical or sexual contact with me against my will)’, which were the three edges with the highest edge weight values in the ACE pattern and IPV edges. ‘ACE1 (Verbal abuse + physical abuse pattern)’–‘IPV3 (Partner does not care about me when I am in bad shape [not feeling well or in a bad mood])’, ‘ACE2 (Exposure to sexual assault pattern)’–‘IPV2 (Partner would have physical or sexual contact with me against my will)’, ‘ACE4 (Violent treatment of mother or stepmother + criminal acts in the family pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ in the male network and ‘ACE1 (Verbal abuse + physical abuse pattern)’–‘IPV3 (Partner does not care about me when I am in bad shape [not feeling well or in a bad mood])’, ‘ACE4 (Violent treatment of mother or stepmother + criminal acts in the family pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’, ‘ACE3 (Substance abuse + mental illness + violent treatment of mother or stepmother pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ in the female network are the three edges with the highest edge weights among the ACE and IPV edges in their networks, respectively, all displaying positive correlations. The strength of ‘IPV3 (Partner does not care about me when I am in bad shape [not feeling well or in a bad mood])’ was higher in the male network than in the female (male = 0.821, female = 0.755, p = 0.002). The edge weight values of ‘ACE3 (Substance abuse + mental illness + violent treatment of mother or stepmother pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ (P = 0.043) and ‘ACE4 (Violent treatment of mother or stepmother + criminal acts in the family pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ (P = 0.032) are greater for females than males. Conclusions The most common type of ACE in the Chinese population is verbal violence combined with physical violence, while the predominant type of IPV is verbal violence. Males experience higher levels of emotional neglect from their partners compared to females. The association between witnessing physical violence in childhood and experiencing physical violence from a partner in adulthood is stronger in females than in males. The homotypic continuum between ACE and IPV is a crucial mechanism in understanding intergenerational domestic violence. Enhance economic and educational levels, promote correct parenting concepts, reduce child abuse, establish accurate perceptions of intimate relationships, eliminate shame about violence and further advance gender equality. These efforts are vital for reducing IPV prevalence and breaking the cycle of violence in victims’ lives.
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spelling doaj-art-d1f646f6d97e4753b99b9aa0edcedb322024-12-10T11:58:05ZengCambridge University PressEpidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences2045-79602045-79792024-01-013310.1017/S2045796024000775Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood: a gender perspectiveZheng Tian0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4400-7445Nan Zhang1Yimiao Li2Yibo Wu3Lan Wang4School of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, ChinaAbstract Aims Investigate the prevalence of adverse childhood experience (ACE) and intimate partner violence (IPV) using a large representative Chinese sample, explore the association mechanism between ACE and adult exposure to IPV and to examine gender differences. Methods A total of 21,154 participants were included in this study. The ACE scale was used to assess participants’ exposure to ACE before the age of 18. Participants were evaluated for IPV experienced after the age of 18 using the IPV Scale. Logistic regression model was used to analyse the association between ACE and the risk of IPV exposure in adulthood. Principal component analysis was used to extract the main patterns of ACEs in the Chinese population. Network analyses were employed to identify the most critical types of ACE and IPV, analyse the association mechanisms between ACEs and IPVs, explore gender differences in this association and compare gender differences in the severity of IPVs experienced in adulthood. Results Participants with at least one ACE event faced a 215.5% higher risk of IPV compared to those without ACE experiences. In population-wide and gender-specific networks, The ACE and IPV nodes with the highest expected influence are ‘ACE1 (Verbal abuse + physical abuse pattern)’ and ‘IPV5 (Partner compares me to other people and blatantly accuses me, making me feel embarrassed and unsure of myself)’. Positive correlations were found between ‘ACE1 (Verbal abuse + physical abuse pattern)’–‘IPV3 (Partner does not care about me when I am in bad shape [not feeling well or in a bad mood])’, ‘ACE4 (Violent treatment of mother or stepmother + criminal acts in the family pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ and ‘ACE2 (Exposure to sexual assault pattern)’–‘IPV2 (Partner would have physical or sexual contact with me against my will)’, which were the three edges with the highest edge weight values in the ACE pattern and IPV edges. ‘ACE1 (Verbal abuse + physical abuse pattern)’–‘IPV3 (Partner does not care about me when I am in bad shape [not feeling well or in a bad mood])’, ‘ACE2 (Exposure to sexual assault pattern)’–‘IPV2 (Partner would have physical or sexual contact with me against my will)’, ‘ACE4 (Violent treatment of mother or stepmother + criminal acts in the family pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ in the male network and ‘ACE1 (Verbal abuse + physical abuse pattern)’–‘IPV3 (Partner does not care about me when I am in bad shape [not feeling well or in a bad mood])’, ‘ACE4 (Violent treatment of mother or stepmother + criminal acts in the family pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’, ‘ACE3 (Substance abuse + mental illness + violent treatment of mother or stepmother pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ in the female network are the three edges with the highest edge weights among the ACE and IPV edges in their networks, respectively, all displaying positive correlations. The strength of ‘IPV3 (Partner does not care about me when I am in bad shape [not feeling well or in a bad mood])’ was higher in the male network than in the female (male = 0.821, female = 0.755, p = 0.002). The edge weight values of ‘ACE3 (Substance abuse + mental illness + violent treatment of mother or stepmother pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ (P = 0.043) and ‘ACE4 (Violent treatment of mother or stepmother + criminal acts in the family pattern)’–‘IPV1 (Partner has ever directly assaulted or hurt me with the help of an instrument)’ (P = 0.032) are greater for females than males. Conclusions The most common type of ACE in the Chinese population is verbal violence combined with physical violence, while the predominant type of IPV is verbal violence. Males experience higher levels of emotional neglect from their partners compared to females. The association between witnessing physical violence in childhood and experiencing physical violence from a partner in adulthood is stronger in females than in males. The homotypic continuum between ACE and IPV is a crucial mechanism in understanding intergenerational domestic violence. Enhance economic and educational levels, promote correct parenting concepts, reduce child abuse, establish accurate perceptions of intimate relationships, eliminate shame about violence and further advance gender equality. These efforts are vital for reducing IPV prevalence and breaking the cycle of violence in victims’ lives. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2045796024000775/type/journal_articleChineseintimate partner violencenetwork analyseadverse childhood experience
spellingShingle Zheng Tian
Nan Zhang
Yimiao Li
Yibo Wu
Lan Wang
Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood: a gender perspective
Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences
Chinese
intimate partner violence
network analyse
adverse childhood experience
title Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood: a gender perspective
title_full Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood: a gender perspective
title_fullStr Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood: a gender perspective
title_full_unstemmed Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood: a gender perspective
title_short Adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood: a gender perspective
title_sort adverse childhood experiences and subsequent experiences of intimate partner violence in adulthood a gender perspective
topic Chinese
intimate partner violence
network analyse
adverse childhood experience
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2045796024000775/type/journal_article
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AT nanzhang adversechildhoodexperiencesandsubsequentexperiencesofintimatepartnerviolenceinadulthoodagenderperspective
AT yimiaoli adversechildhoodexperiencesandsubsequentexperiencesofintimatepartnerviolenceinadulthoodagenderperspective
AT yibowu adversechildhoodexperiencesandsubsequentexperiencesofintimatepartnerviolenceinadulthoodagenderperspective
AT lanwang adversechildhoodexperiencesandsubsequentexperiencesofintimatepartnerviolenceinadulthoodagenderperspective