Levels of Coercive Control Differentiate Between Groups of Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Colombia

The authors used Johnson's typology of intimate partner violence (IPV) to examine groupings of women experiencing physical violence within their intimate relationships according to coercive control levels. Analyses were conducted using data from the 2010 Colombian Demographic and Health Survey. In particular, the authors used a subsample of 12,237 ever-married (or cohabitating) women between the ages of 14 and 49 years, who reported at least one experience of physical violence. Exploratory and confirmatory cluster analyses demonstrated a good fit for a two-cluster solution based on coercive-control levels. Forty eight percent of women in the sample were classified in the high-control group. Comparisons between currently married and formerly married women evidenced formerly married women reported more physical violence, severe physical violence, physical consequences of violence, and psychological consequences of violence than currently married women. Furthermore, comparisons within the high-control group and the low-control group evidenced that formerly married women displayed higher scores in all six variables than currently married women. Findings from this study contribute to support Johnson's control-based IPV theory and its application in Colombia.

International Adaptation of a Treatment Program for Situational Couple Violence

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious international problem. Stith, S. M., McCollum, E. E., and Rosen, K. H. received funding from the US National Institute of Mental Health to develop and test a program for couples experiencing IPV: Domestic Violence Focused Couples Treatment (DVFCT). This article provides an overview of DVFCT, and presents three case studies illustrating how DVFCT has been adapted for use in Colombia, Iran, and Finland. This article emphasizes the need for adapting treatment models to be culturally informed, provides practice-based evidence for DVFCT as a treatment model, and highlights the importance of careful screening and assessment when working with couples who have experienced violence, no matter the country or location where treatment is being conducted.

Childhood abuse affects emotional closeness with family in mid- and later life

OBJECTIVE

Knowledge about the effects of early life adversity on kin relationships in later years is sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine if childhood abuse and adversity negatively influences emotional closeness with family in mid- and later life. A second goal was to determine the role of psychosocial resources and personality traits in buffering the effects of early adversities. Gender and cohort differences were explored to see if men were differentially affected than women and whether middle-aged adults (35-49 years old) were differentially affected than older adults (50-74 years old) by the effects of childhood abuse and adversity.

METHODS

Using retrospective accounts of early family abuse and adversities of 1,266 middle aged adults and 1,219 older adults from a large population-based survey, the National Survey of Midlife Development in United States (MIDUS), separate multiple regression analyses were conducted for the two cohorts to examine the effects of childhood emotional and physical abuse and family adversities on perceived emotional closeness with family. Interaction effects between childhood abuse and adversity (e.g., being expelled from school, death of sibling, parental divorce, losing a home to a natural disaster) with psychosocial resources (perceived control and self acceptance), personality characteristics (extraversion and neuroticism), and gender were examined.

RESULTS

Results of OLS regressions suggest emotional and physical abuse predicted family closeness in middle-aged adults. Conversely, only emotional abuse predicted family closeness in older adults. Moderation models revealed that high levels of self acceptance were associated with better maintenance of emotional closeness among middle-aged adults who were emotionally and physically abused as children. Older adults with lower extraversion who experienced emotional abuse or reported greater number of adversities in childhood were found to be at higher risk for lower emotional closeness with family. Early life adversities were more detrimental for women.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that the aftermath of childhood abuse does not dissipate with time, but continues to influence family relationships in mid- and later life. Identifying the links between childhood adversities and adult relationships can help identify strategic points for intervention to reduce the long-term effects of accumulated adverse experiences over the life course.