Exploring the Influence of Acculturative Stress, Social Support, and Family Norms on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Victimization and Perpetration
Open Access DepositedIntimate Partner Violence (IPV) remains a critical public health issue, with higher prevalence among Latine immigrant communities, where lifetime rates range from 30% to 50%. These communities face distinct challenges, including acculturative stress from adapting to new cultural norms and traditional family dynamics, which contribute to IPV. This study employed an overall mixed-method approach to explore the impact of acculturative stress, social support, and family norms on IPV victimization and perpetration among Latine immigrants in Langley Park, Maryland.A total of 269 adult participants took part in the study, which utilized the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) to assess IPV across emotional, physical, sexual, and stalking domains. Acculturative stress was measured through the Social, Attitudinal, Familial, and Environmental (SAFE) Acculturative Stress scale, including factors such as language proficiency and discrimination. Social support was measured via Social Cohesion and Reciprocal Exchange Scales. Nested logistic regression and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were employed to analyze the quantitative data, while 47 qualitative interviews provided insights into participants' lived experiences of IPV and stress. SEM revealed acculturative stress was significantly associated with emotional violence (β = 0.184, p < 0.05) and stalking victimization (β = 0.195, p < 0.05). Language barriers were viii linked to higher physical violence perpetration (β = 0.325, p < 0.001) and sexual victimization (β = 0.242, p < 0.01). Social support was found to alleviate acculturative stress (β = -0.214, p < 0.01) but did not have a direct effect on IPV. Nested regression analysis indicated that acculturative stress was a significant predictor for physical and sexual victimization and stalking perpetration, while family and relationship norms played a significant role in predicting sexual violence perpetration and victimization. Emotional violence perpetration was influenced independently by both family norms and acculturative stress. The qualitative findings revealed that acculturative stress, driven by economic pressures, language barriers, and shifting gender roles, heightened the risk of IPV. Men struggled with losing control as women gained financial independence, leading to emotional violence and stalking. Social isolation and fear of deportation further trapped IPV victims into staying in unhealthy relationships. Additionally, machismo and traditional gender expectations intensified conflict, especially when women entered the workforce. A lack of social cohesion within immigrant communities compounded these stressors, making it harder for individuals to cope with IPV. Acculturative stress and shifting family norms significantly shape IPV dynamics among Latino immigrants. Culturally tailored interventions addressing both acculturative stress and shifting gender norms are essential to reducing IPV in these communities. The integration of social support mechanisms and healthy relationship communication, alongside targeted efforts to alleviate language and economic barriers, is critical for developing effective IPV prevention and intervention strategies.
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Chandarana_gwu_0075A_17134.pdf | 2025-04-09 | Open Access |
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