This a summary of the NIJ-funded research reported in "Predicting Intimate Partner Violence for At-Risk Young Adults and Their Romantic Partners," which examined the developmental and familial pathways to intimate partner violence involvement in young adulthood, as well as partner influences on intimate partner violence.
Another goal of the study was to evaluate whether the program entitled "Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers" (LIFT) showed long-term intervention effects on intimate partner violence in young adulthood. The research found that young adults who had unskilled parents or parents who experienced intimate partner violence were at an increased risk of exhibiting antisocial behavior as a teen. In turn, antisocial behavior as a teen increased the risk of experiencing intimate partner violence in young adult relationships. This pattern was stronger for males than females. The study also found that aggressive children who associated with delinquent peers in adolescence were at higher risk for intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration in young adulthood. A low level of satisfaction in an intimate relationship was associated with increased levels of physical and psychological victimization. In addition, partner use of alcohol or marijuana increased the likelihood of the perpetration of intimate partner violence. Intimate partner violence perpetrated by both partners was also present, which warrants further research on intervention efforts for both men and women. Although the LIFT prevention program improved social and problem-solving skills and reduced physical aggression in childhood, there were no long-term intervention effects in reducing intimate partner violence in young adulthood. The study involved secondary analyses of a longitudinal sample of 116 heterosexual young adults and their current romantic partners.