Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Contribution of family violence to the intergenerational transmission of externalizing behavior.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Ehrensaft, MK; Cohen, P
Published in: Prev Sci
August 2012

Research finds that early antisocial behavior is a risk for later intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimization, and that children's exposure to their parents' IPV is a risk for subsequent behavior problems. This study tests whether intimate violence (IPV) between partners contributes independently to the intergenerational transmission of antisocial behavior, using the Children in the Community Study, a representative sample (N = 821) followed for over 25 years in 6 assessments. The present study includes a subsample of parents (N = 678) and their offspring (N = 396). We test the role of three mechanisms by which IPV may influence child antisocial behavior-parental psychopathology, parenting practices, and child self-regulation. Results suggest that IPV independently increased the risk for offspring externalizing problems, net of the effects of parental history of antisocial behavior and family violence. IPV also increased the risk for parental post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder 2 years later, but not for major depressive disorder. Alcohol use disorder independently increased the risk for offspring externalizing behavior, but IPV continued to predict offspring externalizing net of parental alcohol use. Parenting, particularly low satisfaction with the child, was significantly associated with both IPV and externalizing behavior, but did not mediate the effects of IPV on externalizing. IPV predicted higher levels of emotional expressivity, aggression and hostile reactivity, and depressive mood in offspring. Implications for future research and prevention are discussed.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Prev Sci

DOI

EISSN

1573-6695

Publication Date

August 2012

Volume

13

Issue

4

Start / End Page

370 / 383

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Substance Abuse
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Risk Factors
  • Psychometrics
  • Prospective Studies
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Male
  • Linear Models
  • Intergenerational Relations
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Ehrensaft, M. K., & Cohen, P. (2012). Contribution of family violence to the intergenerational transmission of externalizing behavior. Prev Sci, 13(4), 370–383. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-011-0223-8
Ehrensaft, Miriam K., and Patricia Cohen. “Contribution of family violence to the intergenerational transmission of externalizing behavior.Prev Sci 13, no. 4 (August 2012): 370–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-011-0223-8.
Ehrensaft, Miriam K., and Patricia Cohen. “Contribution of family violence to the intergenerational transmission of externalizing behavior.Prev Sci, vol. 13, no. 4, Aug. 2012, pp. 370–83. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s11121-011-0223-8.
Journal cover image

Published In

Prev Sci

DOI

EISSN

1573-6695

Publication Date

August 2012

Volume

13

Issue

4

Start / End Page

370 / 383

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Substance Abuse
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Risk Factors
  • Psychometrics
  • Prospective Studies
  • Parent-Child Relations
  • Male
  • Linear Models
  • Intergenerational Relations