The influence of bidirectional intimate partner violence on the parent-child relationship

Abstract

Purpose Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health issue and a human rights violation. Recent studies have revealed that most IPV is bidirectional rather than unidirectional, which can result in serious consequences for those involved. However, the impact of bidirectional violence (BV) on parenting, and more specifically on the parent-child relationship, is understudied. Thus, this study aims to understand the impact of BV on the parent-child relationship and analyze the differences in the perceptions about the quality of the parent-child relationship between parents involved in unidirectional IPV, parents involved in bidirectional IPV, and parents without IPV. Methods The sample comprised 138 participants of both sexes, aged 18 years or over, and with underage children. The study was conducted online, and data were collected through a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Inventory of Marital Violence, and the Inventory of Parent-Child Relationship. Results Parents (male and female) involved in bidirectional IPV reported that the communication dimension was the most impacted and presented perceptions of lower quality in the relationship with their children than parents involved in unidirectional IPV perpetration. Conclusions These results suggest that individuals involved in BV might transpose the dynamics they establish in their marital relationship to their relationship with their children, resulting in less positive parent-child relationships. A new perspective on victim and perpetrator profiles emerges from this study, which should be considered regarding parenting intervention.