Emotional Distress and Academic Presenteeism in Male University Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Mediated Structural Model

Abstract

Although the consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV) for female victims have been widely documented, the psychological and academic correlates of perpetration remain underexplored. This study examines whether emotional distress statistically mediates the association between IPV perpetration and academic presenteeism among male university students. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 343 students from the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés in Bolivia. Using validated instruments and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, we assessed direct and indirect associations. Findings indicate that 50.1% of students reported perpetrating at least one form of IPV since entering university, with stalking and psychological violence being most common. Perpetrators reported higher levels of emotional distress compared to non-perpetrators and exhibited higher academic presenteeism (reduced academic functioning despite physical attendance). The structural model indicated a significant indirect statistical effect of IPV perpetration on academic presenteeism through emotional distress (β = 0.137, p < 0.001), accounting for 36.2% of the total effect. These findings suggest that universities may consider perpetrator-focused components within broader prevention and support systems, integrating behavioral accountability with screening, referral, and academic support while recognizing that intervention effectiveness was not tested in this study.