Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Romantic Relationship Distress Among White and Mexican Newlyweds

Abstract

This study examined the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and romantic relationship distress in a sample of 100 heterosexual White and Mexican American couples. Data were collected during the first and during the third year of marriage. In the overall sample, wives’ own IPV victimization was associated with wives’ increased distress and husbands’ IPV victimization was associated with wives’ decreased distress. Among Mexican Americans, wives’ IPV victimization was related to husbands’ increased distress, whereas among White Americans, wives’ IPV victimization was related to husbands’ decreased distress. These results indicate that the association between IPV victimization and relationship distress may not only differ by gender but also by ethnicity.