The Association of Adolescent Gender Performance and Adult Intimate Partner Violence

Citation

Ross, Jessica; Deardorff, Julianna; McKool, Marissa; Harley, Kim G.; Nguyen, Angela-Maithy; & Marceau, Kristine (2022). The Association of Adolescent Gender Performance and Adult Intimate Partner Violence. Journal of Adolescent Health.

Abstract

Purpose A quarter of women and nearly 1 in 10 men in the United States have reported experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) that had lasting negative impacts at least once during their lifetime. To prevent IPV over the lifecourse, adolescence has been identified as an ideal period for healthy relationship education that addresses the various IPV risk factors. One of those risk factors is believing in traditional gender roles, but the behavioral aspect of gender performance has been understudied. This study explores the relationship between adolescent gender performance and adult IPV perpetration and victimization/survival. Methods We used logistic regression to estimate associations of adolescent gender performance and adult IPV perpetration and victimization/survival in a sample of 2,197 males and 2,587 females from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) between 1994 and 2008. Results Male adolescent gender performance was associated with increased adult IPV perpetration (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.18 per 10% increase in gender performance) and victimization/survival (AOR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.03–1.11 per 10% increase in gender performance). Female adolescent gender performance was not associated with adult IPV perpetration or victimization/survival. Discussion The more similarly adolescent males behave to their adolescent male peers, the more likely they are to perpetrate and experience IPV in adulthood. This study supports the implementation of gender transformative education during adolescence and the specific need to address how the behaviors associated with male gender performance are risk factors for adult IPV.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.06.027

Keyword(s)

Intimate partner violence

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Journal of Adolescent Health

Author(s)

Ross, Jessica
Deardorff, Julianna
McKool, Marissa
Harley, Kim G.
Nguyen, Angela-Maithy
Marceau, Kristine

Year Published

2022

ISSN/ISBN

1054-139X

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.06.027

Reference ID

9776