Intimate Partner Violence among Asian Americans: Risk Factor Differences across Ethnic Subgroups

A limited number of studies have been conducted on intimate partner violence (IPV) among Asian Americans. This study aims to fill this gap by examining risk factors for IPV and ethnic differences within Asian American subgroups. Logistic regression analyses were conducted, using data from the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS). This study found that while prevalence rates of IPV varied across ethnic groups, the differences disappeared when controlling for demographic, interpersonal, and sociocultural variables. The study findings also showed that risk for IPV was higher for US-born Asian Americans, and that perceived discrimination increased the risk.     

The Relationship of Acculturation and Social Integration to Assaults on Intimate Partners Among Mexican American and Non-Mexican White Students

This study examined the role that Mexican ethnicity, acculturation into Anglo American society, and social integration play in intimate partner violence among a sample of 348 college students. The results indicated that Mexican American ethnicity and acculturation into Anglo American society by Mexican American college students had no relation to intimate partner violence. However, integration into society was associated with a decreased probability of severely assaulting a partner among both Mexican Americans and Non-Mexican Whites. The results support a control theory perspective (social integration) on intimate partner violence.     

Prevalence and Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence Among Young, Middle, and Older Women of Korean Descent in California

This research examined the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) among younger, middle-aged, and older Korean American women. Data were drawn from telephone interviews of a population-based, representative probability sample (N?=?592) of female adults of Korean descent residing in California, with a completion rate of 70?%. Data were grouped by age. In each group, psychological aggression was the most common type of IPV in the past year, followed by a moderate form of sexual coercion, while physical assault and injury were infrequent. Immigration stress was associated with psychological aggression in all three groups, and partner alcohol use was associated in none. Other predictors varied by group. Results suggest that psychological abuse is a serious issue, and that women’s life stage is an important consideration in IPV among Korean Americans. Findings, which sometimes diverged from those of prior studies of this population, merit further investigation.     

Intimate partner violence in the U.S. general population: progress and future directions

This article reviews survey research on intimate partner violence (IPV) in the U.S. general population. Results from survey research conducted over the past quarter century are briefly summarized. Three additional national studies related to injuries, crime victimization, and homicide among intimate partners in the United States are also considered. The article emphasizes the progress that has been made in general population survey research related to IPV. It concludes with a discussion of the current controversies and future directions for survey research of IPV in the U.S. general population.     

Agreement on intimate partner violence among a sample of blue-collar couples

This study assessed agreement level about the occurrence of past-year male-to-female partner violence (MFPV) and female-to-male partner violence (FMPV) among a sample of 897 blue-collar couples. Intimate partner violence (IPV) was measured with the Physical Assault subscale of the revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2). Agreement level was assessed with Cohen's kappa statistic. Lower-bound estimates (based on couple agreement that an IPV event occurred) and upper-bound estimates (based on uncorroborated reports from either partner that an IPV event occurred) were calculated. Results indicated low agreement for most IPV behaviors (kappa < .40). Estimated lower- and upper-bound rates for MFPV were 6.7% and 21.2%, for FMPV, 7.1% and 24.2%, and for any IPV, 10.1% and 30.2%. Findings suggest that single-point IPV prevalence estimates are biased; lower- and upper-bound estimates using collateral reports should be calculated when possible. In addition, findings underscore the importance of conducting IPV research among understudied populations, such as working-class couples, that may be at elevated IPV risk.     

College Students’ Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence: a Comparative Study of China and the U.S.

Although attitudes toward intimate partner violence (IPV) have been the subject of many studies, little research has been conducted to comparatively assess public definitions of IPV in Western and non-Western countries. Drawing upon survey data collected from approximately 500 Chinese and American college students, this study compared and contrasted Chinese and American college students in their beliefs about what constitute IPV. Chinese students were found to be less likely to define abusive acts as IPV than their U.S. counterparts. Gender-role attitudes, such as beliefs of male dominance and IPV as crime, were among the most prominent predictors of students’ definitions of IPV. Chinese and American college students’ attitudes differed not only in what was defined as IPV, but also in what were the factors that shaped such attitudes. Directions for future research and policy were discussed.     

The prevalence and characteristics of intimate partner violence in a community study of Chinese American women

A community probability-sampled survey was done of 181 Chinese American women to investigate the prevalence and nature of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Chinese Americans. Of participants, 42% knew a Chinese woman who had experienced IPV. Also, 14% had experienced IPV themselves in their lifetime (8% severe and 6% minor), 3% in the previous year, and 2% currently. In Chinese American women who were ever married, the lifetime prevalence of IPV was 17%. IPV resulted in physical injuries for 31% of women and affected their work and education. Exploratory analysis suggests that relationship problems and partner's alcohol use may be risk factors for IPV in this group.     

The Association Between Affective and Problem-Solving Communication and Intimate Partner Violence Among Caucasian and Mexican American Couples: a Dyadic Approach

The present study examined individuals’ subjective evaluation of their effectiveness with regard to affective communication and problem-solving communication, and their relation to intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Data from 100 Caucasian American and Mexican American couples were collected during the first and during the third year of marriage. For affective communication, a significant partner effect emerged, indicating that husbands’ higher dissatisfaction with affective communication was related to wives’ higher IPV victimization. For problem-solving communication, a significant actor effect emerged, indicating that husbands’ higher dissatisfaction with problem-solving communication was related to husbands’ higher IPV victimization. While these findings largely generalized to Caucasian Americans, they did not generalize to Mexican Americans.     

Intimate Partner Violence Involving Children and the Parenting Role: Associations with Maternal Outcomes

The aim of the present study was to investigate intimate partner violence (IPV) involving children and the parenting role (e.g., preventing an intimate partner from providing parental care or threatening to take one’s children away). Specifically, the study examined whether this form of IPV affects maternal functioning above and beyond other IPV experiences. Participants included a community sample of 120 primarily low-income, single women, diverse in age, education, and ethnicity, who were interviewed 1 year after giving birth, as part of a longitudinal study. IPV involving children and the parenting role was significantly associated with other experiences of IPV, especially general psychological IPV. Multiple regression analyses revealed that this form of IPV significantly affected mothers’ personal, relational, and parental functioning. Results suggest that it is important to assess for IPV involving children and the parenting role when working with mothers. More research on this unique type of IPV is needed.     

A Comparison of Victimization and Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence Among Drug Abusing Heterosexual and Lesbian Women

The study describes types and rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) reported by active drug using women enrolled in a street outreach HIV prevention research study located in Tucson, Arizona. IPV data were collected on 434 women at the baseline assessment who reported being in a current intimate partner relationship. The data collected included types of violence as well as rates of victimization and perpetration of IPV. Using profile analysis, we examined similarities and differences in patterns of incidence rates of both victimization and perpetration of IPV across different IPV behaviors experienced by heterosexual and lesbian women. Results indicate substantial rates of IPV among both heterosexual and lesbian women with both similarities and differences in IPV behaviors reported. Results suggest that type of relationship and type of IPV behavior are important factors in identifying and preventing IPV, and improving interventions aimed at addressing IPV.     

The Effects of Acculturation on Intimate Partner Violence Among Chinese Immigrants in New York City

Little research has examined the role of acculturation in the determination of intimate partner violence (IPV) among Chinese immigrants in the United States. Data on 166 IPV Chinese immigrant couples obtained from a Chinese American community organization were analyzed for this study. Findings show that the level of acculturation and socioeconomic status were associated with severity, frequency, length, and type of abuse committed by Chinese immigrant men although not all factors played an equally important role in explaining IPV. Certain Chinese immigrant victim characteristics, such as having social networks, were also related to the experience of IPV.     

National Estimates of Intimate Partner Violence and Service Receipt among Latina Women with Child Welfare Contact

A rise in the Latino population resulting from increased immigration to the United States over the past several decades has invoked increasing concern about factors contributing to the victimization of Latinas. The present study used the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being to explore experiences of physical intimate partner violence (IPV) and service receipt for IPV issues among Latina caregivers reported to the child welfare system for alleged child abuse or neglect. Results showed no significant differences in severity and overall rates of physical violence between immigrants and nonimmigrants, with the exception of the frequency of violence; U.S.-born women reported more incidents than immigrants. Despite experiencing a high overall rate of IPV during the previous year (33.0%), during the same period only 16.8% of Latinas reported being referred to services and 9.4% of mothers reported receiving services to address IPV issues. Despite evidence of disparities in use of other types of services by immigrant parents involved with the child welfare system, no differences in IPV service use were noted between immigrant and nonimmigrant mothers. Adjusting for covariates, neither nativity nor legal status was predictive of recent experiences of physical violence or service use. Potential reasons for these findings and implications are discussed.     

Acculturation stress, drinking, and intimate partner violence among Hispanic couples in the U.S

This article examines the cross-sectional association between acculturation, acculturation stress, drinking, and intimate partner violence (IPV) among Hispanic couples in the U.S. The data being analyzed come from a multicluster random household sample of couples interviewed as part of the second wave of a 5-year national longitudinal study. The overall survey response rate for the second wave is 72%. Participants are Hispanic couples 18 years of age or older (N = 387). Results show that, among men, lower acculturation is positively associated with higher acculturation stress, which is directly related to a greater likelihood of involvement in IPV. These associations are also present among women. However, data for women show an additional path linking higher levels of acculturation directly to IPV. Drinking is not associated with IPV, independent of gender. Acculturation, directly or through acculturation stress, increases the likelihood of IPV.     

What Happens Before Intimate Partner Violence? Distal and Proximal Antecedents

Although research on intimate partner violence (IPV) has emphasized the importance of building situational frameworks and event-based research, our knowledge of the contexts surrounding IPV is particularly limited for immigrants. The present study identifies the sequence of specific antecedents of IPV and their relationships with one another. This study is a content analysis of online postings on an anonymous internet forum for Korean married women living in the U.S. Ninety-five postings narrating IPV episodes from the direct experiences of the posters were selected. With a novel method named the “might-cause chain,” violence was extracted from the narratives and then traced back to prior actions. Results suggest that environmental settings of IPV can be expanded from immediate proximal situations (triggers), through contingent pathways, to distal context. The roles of verbal exchange, alcohol, in-laws, and self-control, and the patterns of demand interactions, IPV cycles or continuums, and dispute-related violence are discussed.     

Intimate partner violence within a cohort of Pacific mothers living in New Zealand

Maternal reports of intimate partner violence (IPV) were obtained from a cohort of Pacific mothers living in New Zealand. The Conflict Tactics Scale was completed by 1,095 women who had given birth in the past 12 months, and who were married or living with a partner as married. The 12-month prevalence of "victimization" through verbal aggression was 77%, 21% for "minor" physical violence, and 11% for "severe" physical violence. The 12-month prevalence of "perpetration" of verbal aggression against a partner was 90%, 35% for "minor" physical violence, and 19% for "severe" violence towards their partner. The experience of social inequality and acculturation are associated with IPV, albeit differentially across the experience of victimization and perpetration. Factors significantly associated with victimization are ethnicity, maternal education, social marital status and household income. Factors significantly associated with perpetration are ethnicity, cultural alignment, maternal birthplace and alcohol consumption since the birth of the child.     

Mental health correlates of intimate partner violence in marital relationships in a nationally representative sample of males and females

It is important to understand the epidemiology of intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by both males and females. Data were drawn from the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey Replication. The relationships between physical IPV and child abuse, mental disorders, and suicidal ideation and attempts among males and females were examined. The results indicate that child sexual abuse was associated with IPV among males, whereas child physical and sexual abuse was associated with IPV among females. IPV was associated with poor mental health outcomes for males and females, although sex differences are noted. The sex differences indicate that females experience a wider range of poor mental health outcomes compared to males. Knowledge about correlates of IPV can be useful in identifying individuals exposed to violence. Further research is required to identify effective methods to reduce exposure to IPV and to adequately address the specific needs of male and female victims of IPV.     

A Two-Way Street for Alcohol Use and Partner Violence: Who’s Driving It?

Using lifetime data from two waves of the National Epidemiologic Surveys on Alcohol and Related Conditions, this study sought to examine sex- and race-specific risks in the temporal relationship between adult onset severe physical intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and alcohol misuse (binge drinking) and alcohol use disorders (abuse and dependence) and whether or not childhood trauma moderated these relationships among U.S. non-Hispanic White and Black women and men. IPV predicted most alcohol outcomes among White and Black women and White men. Conversely, binge drinking among White and Black women and alcohol abuse among Black women and men predicted IPV. Childhood trauma moderated the relationship between IPV and alcohol misuse mainly among Black respondents, with an increased risk of either outcome among those without childhood trauma. These findings suggest a reciprocal relationship between IPV victimization and alcohol misuse, with implications for sex- and race-specific prevention and intervention efforts.     

Depression Among Mexican Women: The Impact of Nonviolent Coercive Control,Intimate Partner Violence and Employment Status

There is significant empirical evidence documenting the link between intimate partner violence (IPV) and incidence of depression symptoms. This study explores the impact of intimate partner violence, nonviolent spousal coercive control, and women’s employment status on the incidence of depression symptoms in a sample of Mexican women. Results from regression models suggest different types of abusive relationships have differential impacts on incidence of depression. Specifically, a woman’s employment status contributed to the risk of depression in the context of prevalent nonviolent spousal controlling behaviors. On the other hand, employment status did not contribute to the risk of developing depression symptoms when women were in relationships where physical violence was not coupled with controlling behaviors. Results of the study are discussed in the context of the Mexican culture, as well as implications for the treatment of IPV among Mexican women.     

Intimate Partner Violence in Interracial Relationships

Research from the U.S. suggests that interracial relationships tend to have an elevated risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). The purposes of this study were to examine IPV in interracial relationships in Canada and explore the extent to which indicators derived from potential explanations account for the elevated risk of IPV in interracial relationships. Data were from a nationally representative sample of more than 19,000 Canadians, of whom 399 were in an interracial relationship and 9,969 were in a non-interracial relationship. Results showed that individuals in interracial relationships faced a significantly elevated risk of IPV victimization. Logistic regression analyses suggested that the presence of children and short union duration were particularly important in accounting for 56 % of the elevated odds of IPV in interracial relationships. Interracial relationships are a vulnerable population and the implications of the elevated risk of IPV in these unions need to be considered in IPV prevention efforts.     

Unemployment among women: examining the relationship of physical and psychological intimate partner violence and posttraumatic stress disorder

Prior research has demonstrated that intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with employment instability among poor women. The current study assesses the broader relationship between IPV and women's workforce participation in a population-based sample of 6,698 California women. We examined past-year IPV by analyzing specific effects of physical violence, psychological violence, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as predictors of unemployment. Results indicated substantial rates of unemployment among women who reported IPV, with rates of 20% among women who experienced psychological violence, 18% among women who experienced physical violence, and 19% among women with PTSD symptoms. When the relationship was adjusted for demographic characteristics and educational attainment, PTSD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22, 2.09) and psychological violence (AOR = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.36, 2.32), but not physical violence, were associated with unemployment. Implications for supported employment programs and workplace responses to IPV are discussed.