Adolescent delinquency: The role of early childhood exposure to intimate partner violence

Abstract

Objective: This study examines how early childhood intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure at ages 1 and 3 affects delinquency at age 15 years, while controlling for parenting when children were 5 years of age and early delinquency when children were 9 years of age. Background: Exposure to IPV has been found to be a strong predictor of youth delinquency. Early delinquency is known to be a strong predictor of persistent, severe, and violent offending throughout the life course. This study aims to extend this line of research by analyzing the relation between IPV exposure and adolescent delinquency using longitudinal data collected from a nationally representative sample. Method: The data came from the first six waves of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study. The sample (N = 2,532) was 50.8% male, and average age was 15.6 years. Race/ethnicity distribution was as follows: 46.8% Black, 24.5% non-Hispanic White, 24.5% Hispanic, and 3.8% other race/ethnicity. Results: Exposure to IPV, particularly economic abuse, significantly affects delinquency at age 15. Negative parenting and early delinquency partially mediated these effects. Conclusion: IPV exposure at ages as young as 1 and 3 years can affect children's delinquent behaviors during adolescence. Implications: These findings suggest a need for early interventions for those exposed to IPV at a young age.