A Meta-Analysis Linking Parent-to-Child Aggression and Dating Abuse During Adolescence and Young Adulthood

Abstract

Relationship continuity and social learning theories provide support for parent-to-child aggression as one potential explanatory factor for dating abuse (DA); however, empirical results are mixed across studies as to the strength of this association. This meta-analysis sought to estimate the overall size of this effect among adolescent and young adult samples and investigate potential moderating factors including sample and measurement variables. Records were identified using a computerized search of databases with several keywords. Peer-reviewed journal articles and dissertations were included if they measured both parent-to-child aggression and DA perpetration and/or victimization among adolescents (aged 12–18) or young adults (aged 18–29). Sixty-six records met inclusion criteria, yielding 370 unique effect sizes for the relation between parent-to-child aggression and DA across 94 unique samples. As hypothesized, there was a small-to-medium effect size between parent-to-child aggression and subsequent DA during both adolescence and young adulthood. The strength of these findings was consistent across DA outcome (perpetration and victimization) and both physical and psychological forms, youth and parent gender, and youth age. Stronger associations were found when the gender of the parental aggressor was undefined compared to either a defined paternal or maternal aggressor. Records using the Conflict Tactics Scale to measure both parent-to-child aggression and DA yielded stronger associations compared to sources that used different measures, but single informant versus multiple informants did not yield any differences.

Exploring risk and protective factors for adolescent dating violence across the social-ecological model: A systematic scoping review of reviews

“…Ten of the 20 articles identified risk factors at only one level of the social-ecological model for either perpetration or victimization ( 22 , 43 , 44 , 50 , 52 – 57 ). Of those, three identified factors exclusively at the individual level ( 44 , 50 , 55 ), five at the relationship level ( 22 , 43 , 52 , 53 , 56 ), one at the community level ( 46 ), and one at the societal level ( 47 ).…”

“…Family risk factors were noted in eight articles. Of these, the majority included exposure to and/or experiencing parental violence ( 20 , 43 , 45 , 47 , 49 , 52 , 53 , 57 ). Other family risk factors centered around parenting-related factors (e.g., poor boundaries, unskilled parenting, parental monitoring, negative parent–child interactions, aversive communication, etc.).…”

The mental health of children and young people living in big cities in a revolving postpandemic world

“…Both direct victimization and witnessing violence bring deleterious effects on mental health issues for adolescents, including internalizing symptoms and externalizing symptoms [9,32–34]. Moreover, exposure to violence in a formative period is problematic, not only for its deleterious effects on typical development [35], but also for its priming and modelling effect that can contribute to the propagation of aggressive behaviour [36–39]. Thereby, pervasive violence at the community level can generate unhealthy environments for the development of the youth.…”

“…Living conditions in urban scenarios are determined by structural factors such as economic conditions, violence and urban design. www.co-psychiatry.com Moreover, exposure to violence in a formative period is problematic, not only for its deleterious effects on typical development [35], but also for its priming and modelling effect that can contribute to the propagation of aggressive behaviour [36][37][38][39]. Thereby, pervasive violence at the community level can generate unhealthy environments for the development of the youth.…”

Can Emerging Adults’ Dating Psychological Aggression be Explained by Family-of-Origin Psychological Aggression, Emotion Dysregulation, and Drinking?

“…For example, retrospective studies note varying degrees of overlap between childhood exposure to family violence and adult outcomes in IPV (see Wood & Sommers, 2011, for a review). Recent meta-analyses document small-to-medium effect sizes for the relation between childhood exposure and IPV in adolescence and adulthood (Goncy, 2020; Goncy et al, 2020). Such findings suggest that other factors may help explain the intergenerational continuity or discontinuity of aggression in intimate relationships.…”