A Test of Competing Pathways from Adolescent Experiences to Interpersonal Violence in Young Adulthood

Extensive research has demonstrated that adverse childhood events experienced before 18 years of age relate to the likelihood of later interpersonal violence. However, it is not well understood whether these adverse experiences relate to intimate partner violence (IPV) and violent crime in similar or divergent ways. The current study investigates how four types of adverse experiences during adolescence (i.e., exposure to harsh parenting, neighborhood crime, friends’ delinquency, and racial discrimination) are associated with the perpetration of violent crime and IPV in young adulthood. Additionally, we investigate how one’s endorsement of violence, deviant values, low self-control, and anger help explain these relationships. To do so, we used prospective, longitudinal data from a U.S. sample of 512 Black American young adults (58% identified as female). Data were collected when the participants were on average 10.5 years of age and roughly every 2 to 3 years afterwards. Analyses of these data using a series of path models revealed that adolescent exposure to neighborhood crime was linked to engagement in violent crime, but not IPV, for both genders. Harsh parenting was associated with women’s violent crime and IPV perpetration. Friends’ delinquency was associated with IPV perpetration for both genders, as well as violent crime among men. Racial discrimination was linked to men’s IPV perpetration. Anger was the strongest mechanism associated with both kinds of violence. Study findings demonstrate the need for multifaceted prevention and intervention efforts that address the various factors that relate to violent crime and IPV while emphasizing the need for race- and gender-conscious solutions.