Relationship between experiences of adverse childhood events and intimate partner violence in

131 Pages·2017·0.94 MB·English

University of Iowa
Iowa Research Online
Theses and Dissertations
Spring 2015
Relationship between experiences of adverse
childhood events and intimate partner violence in
adult same sex monogamous relationships
Meredith Anne Rausch
University of Iowa
Copyright 2015 Meredith Anne Rausch
This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1734
Recommended Citation
Rausch, Meredith Anne. "Relationship between experiences of adverse childhood events and intimate partner violence in adult same
sex monogamous relationships." PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) thesis, University of Iowa, 2015.
https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1734.https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.q8qm8cmg
Follow this and additional works at:https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd
Part of theStudent Counseling and Personnel Services Commons
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXPERIENCES OF ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EVENTS AND
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN ADULT SAME SEX MONOGAMOUS
RELATIONSHIPS

by
Meredith Anne Rausch

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree
in Rehabilitation and Counselor Education (Counselor Education and Supervision) in the
Graduate College of The University of Iowa

May 2015
Thesis Supervisor: Associate Professor Susannah M. Wood
Copyright by
MEREDITH ANNE RAUSCH
2015
All Rights Reserved
Graduate College
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

______________________________________________

PH.D. THESIS
________________________________________________

This is to certify the Ph.D. thesis of
Meredith Anne Rausch
has been approved by the Examining Committee for the thesis requirement for the
Doctor of Philosophy degree in Rehabilitation and Counselor Education
(Counselor Education and Supervision) at the May 2015 graduation.
Thesis Committee: _____________________________________
Susannah Wood, Thesis Supervisor
_____________________________________
David Duys
_____________________________________
Stewart Ehly
_____________________________________
Jacob Priest
_____________________________________
Carol Smith
_____________________________________
Anna Viviani
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank the chair of my dissertation committee and my educational advisor,
Dr. Susannah M. Wood for providing me with a strong and supportive female role model. I have
grown more than I could have imagined these past four years due to her influence and
willingness to assist me in any way possible. It is my hope I can one day model these behaviors
for my future advisees and be able to share a coffee with Dr. Wood as a peer.
Secondly, I wish to thank my ever supportive husband, Scott. He has always believed in
my abilities wholeheartedly, even when I was unsure of myself. I could not ask for a better
teammate to cheer me on and always push me to do my best. And to Sutton, who started and
finished this journey with me. His smiles and coos made it possible to keep pushing forward.
Finally, to all who made this dissertation possible through their insight, cheerleading, and
expertise. For helping me through the statistical navigation process—thank you Dr. David Duys.
For the provided insight into the population and the theoretical approach—thank you Dr. Jacob
Priest. For being a cheerleader and consistent support—thank you Dr. Carol Smith. For an
outside perspective and for the effort required to travel to Iowa—thank you Dr. Anna Viviani. It
is my hope the information gleaned from this research will be a small stepping stone for my
future career as a researcher. And finally, thank you to Dr. Stewart Ehly. Your insights added
depth to my research, and the snacks you provided while I worked through correlation and
regression homework kept me nourished and happy.

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PUBLIC ABSTRACT
In order to build upon existing research, this researcher set out to examine rates of
physical, sexual, and emotional abuse among lesbian or queer cisgender women, both as children
and adults. Focusing on the issue of intimate partner violence through a systemic lens allows
future counselors and counselor educators an opportunity to view the impact of those systems
surrounding an individual: family, neighbors, school, church, media, and government. By
examining these systems, one can gain insight into the various levels of support available to help
victims of trauma and abuse.
A survey including questions regarding childhood and current experiences of abuse was
given to participating cisgender women. Results revealed the experience of one type of child
abuse is related to another type of abuse occurring. For adults, physical and emotional abuse
were closely related as well. Risk factors for experiencing abuse included unemployment, lower
education, serving in the military, and consuming three or more alcoholic beverages per day. It
was also suggested by this study that individuals from families perceived as supportive of same
sex partnerships also felt supported in their schools and in media messages.
Using a systems perspective, while assessing for abuse with all clients, provides a more
holistic view of each individual client. Understanding the differences in experiences of abuse
within the lesbian and queer population is imperative to providing quality professional
counseling.

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ABSTRACT
This study sought to examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences
and intimate partner violence in adult committed, monogamous, same sex female relationships.
Participants included lesbian or queer cisgender women, age 18 or over, who were in a current
committed relationship of at least six months. Partnerships with local and national lesbian
advocacy groups allowed electronic access to participants. A total of 87 participants completed
the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire and the Abusive Behaviors Inventory. All
participants were anonymous. The three examined variables included emotional/psychological
abuse, sexual abuse, and physical abuse. These variables were entered into the Software
Program for Statistical Analysis (SPSS) using correlational matrices, hierarchical regression, and
one-way ANOVA analyses. Results from the data analysis will provide insight into the
relationship of each variable on the presence of intimate partner violence in adult committed,
monogamous, lesbian, or queer cisgender relationships.
Keywords: Lesbian, intimate partner violence, adverse childhood experiences

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………………….vii
LIST OF FIGURES……………...…………………………………………………………….…ix
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................1
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................3
Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................3
Research Questions ..............................................................................................................6
Significance of the Study .....................................................................................................7
Definitions............................................................................................................................8

II. LITERATURE REVIEW .....................................................................................................10
Intimate Partner Violence ..................................................................................................11
The Lesbian Experience of Violence .................................................................................13
Adverse Childhood Experiences ........................................................................................17
Lesbian Stereotypes ...........................................................................................................21
Ecological Systems Theory................................................................................................25
Summary ............................................................................................................................34

III. METHODOLOGY ..............................................................................................................36
Purpose Statement & Research Questions .........................................................................36
Research Design.................................................................................................................37
Participants .........................................................................................................................37
Procedures ..........................................................................................................................39
Instrumentation ..................................................................................................................40
Analysis..............................................................................................................................43
Significance of the Study ...................................................................................................44
Limitations of the Study.....................................................................................................44

IV. RESULTS ...........................................................................................................................47
Preliminary Analysis ..........................................................................................................47
Main Analysis ....................................................................................................................58
Analysis for Research Question 1 ..........................................................................59
v
Analysis for Research Question 2 ..........................................................................60
Analysis for Research Question 3 ..........................................................................61
Analysis for Research Question 4 ..........................................................................62
Analysis for Research Question 5 ..........................................................................63
Summary ............................................................................................................................65

V. DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................................67

Review of the Study ...........................................................................................................67
Discussion of Findings .......................................................................................................68
Adverse Childhood Experiences ............................................................................68
Childhood Emotional Abuse ..................................................................................70
Childhood Abuse Demographics and Coping Differences ....................................71
Adult Abuse Demographics and Coping Differences ............................................72
Perceptions of Systemic Acceptance .....................................................................73
Implications for the Counseling Profession .......................................................................74
Multicultural Practice in Counseling…………………………………………………….82
Implications for Counselor Education ...............................................................................84
Implications for Further Research .....................................................................................86
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................87

Appendix A: BRONFENBRENNER’S ECOLOGICAL THEORY .............................................89
Appendix B: ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES QUESTIONNAIRE ..........................90
Appendix C: ABUSIVE BEHAVIORS INVENTORY ................................................................92
Appendix D: DEMOGRAPHIC FORM ........................................................................................94
Appendix E: INFORMED CONSENT FORM..............................................................................98
Appendix F: FIGURES ................................................................................................................100
Appendix G: PARTICIPANT LOCATION TABLE ..................................................................103
Appendix H: PERCEPTIONS OF SYSTEMIC ACCEPTANCE FREQUENCES……………104
Appendix I: DEMOGRAPHIC FREQUENCY TABLES ...........................................................106
Appendix J: COPING STRATEGY FREQUENCY TABLES ...................................................108
References ....................................................................................................................................109

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LIST OF TABLES
Table
1. Childhood Physical Abuse Frequencies……………………………………………………..48
2. Childhood Sexual Abuse Frequencies………..……………………………………………...48
3. Childhood Emotional Abuse Frequencies…………………………………………………...49
4. ACE Score Frequencies …………………….……………………………………………….50
5. Adult Physical Abuse Frequencies…….…………………………………………………….50
6. Adult Sexual Abuse Frequencies…….………………………………………………………51
7. Adult Emotional Abuse Frequencies…….…………………………………………………..51
8. Adult Abusive Behavior Frequencies………………………………………………………..52
9. Smoking Frequencies………………….……………………………………………………..55
10. Exercise Frequencies……………………………………………………….………..……..55
11. Counseling Frequencies…………………………………………………...………………..56
12. Correlation Analysis of Childhood Abuse Variables………………………………..……..57
13. Correlation of Adult Abuse Variables……………………………………………………..58
14. Regression ANOVA………………………………………………………………………..61
15. Bivariate Correlation among Child and Adult Abuse Variables and Perceptions of
Systemic Acceptance of Same Sex Partnerships and Help Seeking………………….………..64
G1. Participant Location Table……………………….……...………………………………...103
H1. Perceived Familial Acceptance of Same Sex Partnerships……….……..………………..104
H2. Perceived School Acceptance of Same Sex Partnerships………………………………...104
H3. Perceived Societal Acceptance of Same Sex Partnerships through Media…………...…..104
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