FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE: A MEDIATING ROLE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a global public health issue, often rooted in early relational and emotional development. Dysfunctional family environments and poor emotional regulation are strongly associated with IPV-related attitudes and behaviors. Emotional intelligence, which reflects an individual’s ability to recognize and manage emotions, may serve as a critical mediator in this context. Understanding the interplay between family functioning, emotional intelligence, and IPV attitudes can inform preventive interventions and promote healthier relationship dynamics. Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between family functioning and attitudes toward intimate partner violence, with a focus on the mediating role of emotional intelligence. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 150 Pakistani adults (N=150), aged 18–45 years (M=23.45, SD=4.79). Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. The study utilized the Family APGAR Scale (Smilkstein et al., 1982), the Intimate Partner Violence Attitude Scale (Smith et al., 2005), the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (Law et al., 2004), and a structured demographic questionnaire. Data analysis included Pearson correlation, linear regression, mediation analysis via PROCESS macro, and independent sample t-tests using SPSS version 25. Results: Significant negative correlations were found between family functioning and IPV attitudes (r = -0.86, p = .01), and between emotional intelligence and IPV attitudes (r = -0.83, p = .01). Family functioning positively correlated with emotional intelligence (r = 0.89, p = .01). Regression analysis indicated that family functioning significantly predicted IPV attitudes (β = -3.87, p < .001, R² = .74). Mediation analysis showed that emotional intelligence partially mediated the relationship (β = -2.55, SE = 0.41, p < .001). T-test results revealed that joint families showed significantly more unfavorable attitudes toward IPV than nuclear families (t(138) = -9.14, p < .001, d = 1.5). Conclusion: Emotional intelligence partially mediates the relationship between family functioning and IPV attitudes. These findings highlight the value of family-based and emotional intelligence-focused interventions in reducing IPV-supportive attitudes.