Exploring the Impact of Childhood Experiences in Family System on Intimate Partner Violence Among College Students at a HBCU

Background and Purpose: The existing body of literature consistently demonstrates a strong association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as exposure to family and community violence, and intimate partner violence (IPV) in young adulthood. Despite this well-established link, there remains a dearth of research capturing both negative and positive childhood experiences within family and community contexts, particularly among African American young adults who are disproportionately affected by the deleterious effects of IPV. This study aimed to fill these gaps by examining the associations between childhood experiences—encompassing both adverse and positive experiences—and IPV victimization and perpetration in a sample of college students attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). We hypothesized that childhood family experiences, compared to community experiences, would be associated with both IPV victimization and perpetration in young adulthood.

Methods: The sample consisted of 333 undergraduate college students, aged 18 and older, who were enrolled at an HBCU, and had a history of an intimate relationship. Most identified as African American/Black (87.7%), female (81.9%), and heterosexual (82.0%). Students’ experiences of IPV were measured using the 20-item Conflict Tactic Scale 2 Short Form, while family and community-level childhood experiences were measured using the Childhood Experiences ACE-Kaiser Scale. Family-level childhood experiences included witnessing IPV of male/female caregivers, family support and neglect, and physical and sexual abuse. Community-level childhood experiences included community support, community violence, and concern about discrimination. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between childhood experiences and IPV victimization and perpetration, adjusting for demographic factors and family or community-level childhood experiences.

Results: Among the sample, the rates of IPV victimization and perpetration in the past 12 months were 54.7% and 54.4%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that community violence was associated with IPV victimization (b= 0.369, SE B= 0.154, p < 0.05). However, after adding childhood family experiences to the model, the association between community violence and IPV victimization was no longer significant. Family support was predictive of decreased IPV victimization (b= -0.381, SE B= 0.092, p < 0.001) and perpetration (b= -0.189, SE B= 0.072, p < 0.01) after adjusting for demographic factors and community-level childhood experiences.

Conclusions and Implications: Our findings confirm previous findings showing high rates of IPV victimization and perpetration among students attending HBCUs. Contrary to our hypothesis, exposure to community violence was initially associated with IPV victimization. However, when accounting for childhood family experiences, community violence was no longer associated with IPV victimization, indicating that positive family experiences may mitigate the impact of community violence, thereby reducing the risk of IPV victimization in adulthood. Notably, childhood family support emerged as a significant protective factor against both IPV victimization and perpetration. Based on the findings, initiating IPV prevention efforts during childhood, with a primary focus on enhancing and promoting family support, could be an effective strategy for mitigating the risk of IPV in adulthood.