Long-Term Effects of Parent-to-Child Violence for Women

Abstract

The relationships between experiences of parental violence during childhood and the development of victimization by severe violence from partner or alcohol-related problems in adulthood were examined by comparing women with partner victimization only ( N = 69), alcohol-related problems only ( N = 59), both partner victimization and alcohol-related problems ( N = 83), and neither problem ( N = 80). Face-to-face interviews were administered to all respondents. The Conflict Tactics Scale was used to assess father-to-daughter, mother-to-daughter, and partner-to-woman relationships. Associations between parental violence and adulthood problems were examined in a multivariate model. Control variables included childhood socioeconomic status, presence of a parent with alcohol-related problems, number of changes in childhood family structure, race of respondent, and the Global Severity Index. The mother-to-daughter relationship appeared a moderately better predictor of partner violence than the father-to-daughter relationship. Conversely, the father-to-daughter relationship was a better predictor of alcohol problems than the mother-to-daughter relationship. Father-to-daughter verbal aggression was found an especially important predictor of alcohol problems for women.