Dissecting the Relationship Between Childhood Victimizations on Adult Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Experiences for Incarcerated Women

Background: Although a wealth of research examines the relationship between experiences of childhood victimization (CV) and subsequent intimate partner violence victimization (IPVV) in adulthood, findings are mixed (Widom et al., 2014). While sexual abuse appears to predict IPVV (Whitfield et al., 2003), our understanding of how cumulative experiences of CV affect IPVV is limited (Desai et al., 2002), especially among samples of incarcerated women (DeHart, 2008). Further, the majority of literature conceptualizes CV as sexual abuse only, and defines IPVV solely in terms of physically violent behaviors. Our understanding of how other types of CV (e.g., physical and emotional abuse, neglect) affect IPVV is less clear. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the relationships between five types of CV and cumulative CV on physical-IPVV and psychological-IPVV experiences among incarcerated women.

Method:  Using random sampling procedures, 230 incarcerated women from two prisons in the Southeast completed cross-sectional surveys.  Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Abuse Behavior Inventory, and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. CV was assessed on five domains-physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect. IPVV was measured as frequency of experiencing physical and psychological abuse by an intimate partner. Cumulative IPV was measured as number of types of CV experienced and ranged from 0-5. Linear regression models explored the relationship between frequency, type, and cumulative CV on IPVV experiences within the year prior to incarceration. Meeting criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use disorder (SUD), age, and race were controlled for in all models.

Results:  MDD, PTSD, SUD and age were non-significant in all models. Past-year physical- IPVV was significantly predicted by childhood emotional abuse (β=.324, 95% CI:.081, .372, p=.002), sexual abuse (β=.243, 95% CI:.055, .250, p=.002), and emotional neglect (β=-.190, 95% CI:-.290, -.002, p=.047). Past-year psychological-IPVV was significantly predicted by childhood emotional abuse (β=.389, 95% CI:.138, .451, p<.01), sexual abuse (β=.173, 95% CI:.013, .221, p=.028), and race (β=-.228, 95% CI:-.770, -.205, p<.01). Physical abuse and physical neglect were non-significant predictors in both models. Effect size estimates for each model were modest- physical-IPVV: R²=.106; psychological-IPVV: R²=.133. Additionally, cumulative CV significantly predicted frequency of physical-IPVV (β=.182, 95% CI:..029, .189, p<.01) and frequency of psychological-IPVV (β=.152, 95% CI:.013, .184, p=.024), with increased number of types of CV associated with more frequent past-year IPVV.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings reported here mirror mixed results in the literature on the influence of types of CV on adult IPVV. Childhood sexual abuse and emotional abuse were useful predictors of physical and psychological-IPVV in the year prior to incarceration, but childhood physical abuse and neglect were not. However, the experience of cumulative CV was significantly related to physical and psychological-IPVV. The implications of these findings suggest that CV experiences beyond sexual abuse contribute to negative IPVV experiences for incarcerated women. Likewise, as CV experiences are not mutually exclusive (Finkelhor et al., 2007), future research should consider the long-term effects of cumulative CV. Finally, how to integrate findings into trauma-informed care best practices for incarcerated women will be highlighted.