Latent Classes Analysis Approach of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

This study sought to identify classes of intimate partner violence (IPV) among emerging adults reporting both victimization and perpetration, as well as the co-occurrence of multiple forms of violence (i.e., psychological, physical, and sexual) and the association of psychosocial vulnerability factors (i.e., parental attachment, childhood abuse, dysfunctional attitudes, sociotropy-autonomy, self-esteem, and problem solving). A total of 363 French emerging adults aged 18 to 30 years (mean age = 24.73; 88.7% women) responded to self-report questionnaires at 12-month intervals. A latent class analysis identified five classes: low IPV (37.7%), poly IPV (7.5%), psychological and sexual IPV (8.9%), psychological and physical IPV (6.5%), and psychological IPV (39.4%). The classes were compared with logistic multinomial regressions, with the low IPV class as a reference. The results revealed that a history of IPV (12 months before) was the most predictive factor of IPV classes. Significant psychosocial vulnerability factors included social problem solving for poly IPV and psychological IPV, attraction to loneliness (dimension of autonomy) for psychological and sexual IPV, high self-esteem for poly IPV, and a secure attachment to the mother for psychological IPV and for psychological and physical IPV. Childhood abuse was not associated with the different classes. Implications for research and prevention programs will be discussed. This includes efforts to empirically integrate life skills with established psychosocial factors, and working on representations of IPV by framing conflicts as interactive interactions, to further improve intervention strategies.