Testing the Cycle of Violence Hypothesis: Child Abuse and Adolescent Dating Violence as Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adulthood

Abstract

Child abuse is an important determinant of future violence perpetration and victimization. Past research examining linkages between child abuse and adult intimate partner violence (IPV) has predominantly focused on married individuals and not considered adolescent dating violence. In the present study, data from three waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health are used to examine the impact of child abuse and adolescent dating violence on the likelihood of IPV victimization and perpetration in young adulthood. Child abuse and adolescent dating violence are common in this study population and are highly predictive of IPV. In regression models stratified by gender, child abuse and adolescent dating violence are significant predictors of IPV victimization and perpetration for both men and women, but the magnitude of these associations differs by gender. Although gender differences exist, it appears that experiencing violence during childhood and/ or adolescence is highly predictive of IPV in young adulthood.