Diverse Long-term Effects of Childhood Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence: Development of Externalizing Behaviors

Using pre-existing longitudinal data from all three waves of the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN), the proposed study will assess the long-term effects of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) exposure during childhood and adolescence on subsequent externalizing behaviors (i.e., delinquency I adult crime, violence, and substance use). There are four main goals of the project : 1) To examine whether there are differences in the baseline levels of externalizing behaviors at three different time points between the IPV exposed children versus the matched group of non-IPV exposed children; 2) to estimate longitudinal developmental trajectories of externalizing behaviors for both, IPV exposed and matched group of non-IPV exposed children; 3) to compare the developmental pathways of externalizing behaviors of IPV exposed children to matched non-IPV exposed children; and 4) to evaluate the individual- and neighborhood-level predictors of high externalizing behavior pathways among IPV exposed children. At each step, the sample will be stratified by gender to also assess the gender differences. To achieve the proposed goals, this study will be using a combined quasi-experimental longitudinal research design. Specifically, a propensity score matching will be utilized to closely match a group of individuals reporting childhood IPV exposure to those who do not on multiple other key variables. Group-based trajectory modeling techniques will then be utilized to estimate the longitudinal developmental trajectories of externalizing behaviors separately for the IPV exposed and non-IPV exposed groups and compared to each other. Finally, multilevel modeling will be utilized to evaluate which individual- and/or neighborhood-level variables best predict the group assignment to high level delinquency I adult crime, violence, and substance use trajectories. This proposal is relevant to theory, practice, and policy. Current IPV exposure research lacks in a body of inquiries that allows for causal inferences and investigations of complex longitudinal developmental patterns of varying externalizing behaviors. The present work will addresses this gap in the literature. By doing so, this study hopes to build the theoretical framework surrounding the issue of childhood IPV exposure and its developmental consequences as well as contribute to empirically informed policies and interventions. The project will culminate in a final report that will help criminal justice and family welfare agencies to develop best practices regarding to delinquency, violence, and substance use prevention. In addition, the results of this project will be disseminated to a broader audience through presentations and peer-reviewed manuscripts. ca/ncf