Introduction: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common in the USA and associated with multiple health sequelae. Physical intimate partner violence (IPV) is a type of revictimization that some adults with ACEs may be more prone to. Positive and supportive childhood environments may buffer the effects of ACEs, but little is known about the differential associations between physical IPV and ACEs and supportive childhood environments. We sought to illustrate racial/ethnic and gender differences in the adjusted predicted probability of physical IPV across multiple ACE and supportive childhood scores.
Methods: We used multivariate linear regression to model the predicted probability of experiencing physical IPV across ACE (physical, psychological, sexual, household environment, mother's abuse) and supportive childhood scores in a national sample (National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, 2012-2013, n = 35,614). Data analyses were conducted in 2019.
Results: American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women demonstrated the highest proportion of experiencing physical IPV (21%). AI/AN men had the highest mean physical ACE score (1.6/4), while AI/AN women had the highest mean scores for all other ACE typologies. ACE scores were positively associated with predicted physical IPV among women, and among AI/AN women in particular. Supportive childhood scores were negatively associated with predicted physical IPV primarily among women.
Conclusion: Physical IPV and ACEs are exceedingly high among AI/AN women. A better understanding of differential associations between childhood experiences and IPV is needed to more effectively tailor childhood and family-based health promotion strategies among multiple diverse communities.
Keywords: Adverse childhood experiences; Health disparities; Physical intimate partner violence; Positive childhood experiences.