Childhood Maltreatment and Young Adult IPV: Longitudinal Evidence From a National Sample

Child maltreatment (CM), including emotional, physical, or psychological harm inflicted by caregivers, and intimate partner violence (IPV), referring to abuse within romantic relationships, are linked to negative outcomes in adulthood. This study utilizes data from Wave 4 and Wave 7 of the Future of Families & Child Wellbeing Study to examine how CM and IPV within the family at age five are associated with the likelihood of experiencing IPV at age 22. Logistic regression models were used to explore these relationships, with educational attainment considered as a potential protective factor. Results show that early psychological abuse and parental substance use significantly increase the risk of IPV in young adulthood. Higher educational attainment appears protective, but only among participants who were in romantic relationships. In the full sample-including both partnered and single individuals-this protective effect was no longer significant. Contrary to prior research, witnessing maternal IPV at age five did not have a direct effect on IPV at age 22. This may reflect the inclusion of both CM and IPV exposure in the models or measurement limitations. These findings underscore the long-term consequences of childhood psychological maltreatment and substance use, highlighting the need for early intervention programs that address emotional abuse, promote educational attainment, and integrate substance use prevention. Future research should explore the mechanisms linking childhood adversity to IPV risk and consider interventions that target relational dynamics and resilience-building strategies.