The Role of Adherence to Gender-Typical Behavior in Adult Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration: A Nationally Representative Longitudinal Data Analysis

Paul J. Fleming, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Carolyn Tucker Halpern, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is related to gender norms, specifically norms of masculinity. This study developed an empirical measure of adherence to gender-typical behaviors (AGB) for respondents at each of the four waves of Add Health in an effort to quantitatively capture individuals’ gender typicality. We tested the hypothesis that AGB at each wave would be associated with men's IPV perpetration at Wave 4 (ages 24-32), but not women's. For men, AGB at Wave 1 (ages 12-18), but not Waves 2, 3 or 4, was significantly associated with IPV perpetration at Wave 4 after controlling for age, race, family structure, fighting, and childhood experience of abuse. For women, AGB at any wave was not significantly associated with IPV perpetration. This research emphasizes the role that gender and masculinity play in men's perpetration of IPV and reinforces the importance of adolescence as a critical period for socialization of gender roles.