Patterns, Precursors and Consequences of TDV: An analysis of Gendered and Generic Pathways

The overarching goal of this basic research project is to support a postdoctoral research fellow to conduct longitudinal analyses that will specify gendered and generic (that is, applicable regardless of gender) patterns, precursors, and consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV) across the span from adolescence to young adulthood (ages 12 to 29). Relying on five waves of structured interview data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS), this study has three specific aims: 1) to examine patterns of physical violence over time, and how gender shapes these patterns by focusing on patterns of escalation, persistence, and desistance in IPV experiences (perpetration and victimization) both within and across intimate relationships using latent class analysis to identify distinct trajectories; 2) to analyze the gender specificity of risk factors across multiple social domains (e.g., neighborhood, parent, peer, partner) and their influence on trajectories of physical violence across adolescence and into young adulthood; 3) to examine the extent to which IPV outcomes such as depressed mood and overall physical health are gender-specific, and whether these outcomes vary by victimization or perpetration status utilizing linear mixed-effects models (LMEM). The original sample was derived from a total enumeration of youths enrolled in grades 7, 9, and 11 in a county in Ohio in 2001-2002. Youths did not have to attend school to be in the study. The stratified, random sample included over-samples of Black and Hispanic respondents and the sample mirrors similarly aged individuals nationally regarding race, family status, parents education, and income. This project will identify neighborhood, family, peer, and intimate relationship factors that may have applicability for understanding male and female IPV and/or those that may be uniquely gendered. This information could provide a useful knowledge base about the etiology and costs of IPV, and in turn for designing programs that resonate with the lived experiences of teens and young adults at risk of experiencing intimate partner violence in their dating relationships. ca/ncf