142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

309927
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration: A Mediational Analysis

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Monique J. Brown, MPH , Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Division of Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
Saba Masho, MD, MPH, DrPH , Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Division of Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Briana Mezuk, PhD , Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Division of Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
Robert Perera, PhD , Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
Steven A. Cohen, DrPH, MPH , Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major problem with serious physical and mental health consequences. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including emotional, physical or sexual abuse, witnessing parental violence, or living with someone who has mental illness, a substance abuse (SA) or incarceration history have been linked to violence and  psychopathology.  However, the mediational pathways for these relationships are not understood. 

Objective: To determine the mediational role of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse (SA), and depression in the association between ACEs and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration.

Methods: Data were obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol Related Conditions (2004-2005) (N=34,653).  Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to determine latent factors for ACEs, and IPV perpetration.   Mediation analysis was used to determine the mediational roles of PTSD, SA, and depression in the association between ACEs and past year IPV perpetration in three separate models. 

Results: Approximately 57% of respondents were exposed to at least one ACE, and approximately 6% reported IPV perpetration in the past year.  EFA of ACEs indicated three factors: sexual abuse, neglect/other abuse, and parental psychopathology.  EFA of IPV perpetration indicated one factor.   PTSD (p=0.000), depression (p=0.000) and SA (p<0.003) partially mediated the association between all three ACE factors and IPV perpetration

Conclusions: Intervention programs targeting IPV perpetrators, should consider addressing ACEs, which have far-reaching effects across the lifespan, along with PTSD, SA, and depression as key focal points.

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Assess the association between adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence perpetration Identify mediators in the association between adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence perpetration

Keyword(s): Behavioral Research, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a doctoral candidate in Epidemiology in the Department of Family Medicine and Population Health at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. I have taken extensive coursework in epidemiology and biostatistics. I have published prior research and have presented at national conferences on intimate partner violence and also on adverse childhood experiences. At present, my dissertation work focuses on the association between adverse childhood experiences and sexual health.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.