Online Program

325139
Association between immigrant generational status, child-maltreatment history and intimate-partner violence (IPV): Evidence from a nationally representative survey


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 8:30 a.m. - 8:50 a.m.

Melissa Kimber, PhD, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Christine Henriksen, MA, Univesity of Manitoba, Winnipeng, MB, Canada
Danielle Davidov, PhD, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine; Department of Social & Behavioral Health Sciences, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Abby Goldstein, PhD, University of Toronto
Lil Tonmyr, PhD, Public Health Agency of Canada
Tracie Afifi, PhD, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Purpose: The extent to which immigrant-specific factors influence the intergenerational transmission of family violence is unknown. The objectives of this paper are to examine the associations between immigrant generational status (IGS), child maltreatment (CM), intimate partner violence (IPV) and acculturation (i.e. the extent to which an individual adopts the values, language and attitudes of a new culture).  Methods: The sample was drawn from wave two of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; N = 34,653), a nationally representative survey of United States (US) residents aged 20 years and older. Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between IGS, CM history, IPV, and acculturation. Results: Compared to 3rd generation (or later) respondents, 1st generation immigrants were less likely to report a history of sexual (AOR=0.74, CI.95 =0.62,0.90) and emotional abuse (AOR=0.69, CI.95 =0.55,0.87), but were more likely to report physical neglect (AOR=1.30, CI.95 =1.11,1.52). After adjusting for covariates, IGS was not associated with IPV among respondents with or without a CM history. Among those without a CM history, highly acculturated 1st generation immigrants (AOR=1.07, CI.95 =1.01,1.13) were more likely to report perpetrating IPV, with highly acculturated 3rd generation respondents having lower odds of reporting IPV perpetration (AOR=0.93, CI.95 =0.88-1.00). Conclusion: IGS and acculturation are important factors in CM and IPV. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the influence of IGS, recency of immigration, acculturation and acculturative stress on the experiences of and relationship between CM and IPV.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the variation in child maltreatment experiences across 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants. Describe and discuss the association between immigrant generational status, a child maltreatment history and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and perpetration. Describe and discuss the influence of acculturation on IPV victimization and perpetration among immigrants with and without a child maltreatment history.

Keyword(s): Immigrant Health, Child Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a PhD Candidate in the Health Research Methodology Program within the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University. My Graduate training has focused on the social and health experiences of immigrant children, adolescents and their families; and I have a number of publications in this regard.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.