Identifying Groups of Young Intimate Partner Violence Offenders Using a Longitudinal Perspective

Abstract Purpose Research on young intimate partner violence (IPV) offenders remains limited, particularly regarding their patterns of IPV behavior. Rather than treating young IPV offenders as a homogenous group, identifying different offender groups can create a more extensive and nuanced understanding of IPV perpetration in adolescence and young adulthood. This study explores the possibility of distinguishing subgroups of young IPV offenders based on violence frequency and severity over time. Also, if early involvement in IPV predicts group membership. Gender differences in IPV offending are also examined. Methods Longitudinal data from five waves of the Peterborough Adolescent and Young Adult Developmental Study, covering ages 16–24 (n = 397, 59.4% female), was analyzed using cluster analysis and multinominal logistic regression. Results Three offender groups emerged: (1) a no/rare-violence group (58.7%), with little to no IPV offending; (2) an infrequent offender group (33.8%), engaging in both psychological and physical IPV at a low frequency; and (3) a frequent offender group (7.6%), engaging frequently in both psychological and physical violence. Early involvement in IPV increased the probability of belonging to the frequent offender group. Significant gender differences were found in specific types of physical IPV offending, However, no gender differences emerged for psychological violence or the most severe physical violence. Conclusion These findings highlight the heterogeneity of young IPV offenders and their violent behaviors, with early involvement predicting frequent offending. Gender differences were found in specific physical IPV, while no differences emerged for psychological violence or the most severe physical violence