THE ASSOCIATION OF ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS ON THE PERPETRATION AND VICTIMISATION OF DATING AGGRESSION

Abstract

This study examined the influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and childhood protective factors on dating aggression experiences in young Singapore adults. In this study, 262 adults reported on their adverse childhood experiences at home, individual resilient factors within the community and the frequency of experiencing dating aggression. As hypothesized, Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed significant positive associations between ACE scores and perpetration of psychological aggression (H(3) = 15.24, p = .002, η2 = .058) and physical aggression (H(3) = 10.16, p = .017, η2 = .039). Mann-Whitney U tests suggested that childhood emotional neglect (U = 4549, p < .001, rrb = -.263), physical abuse (U = 5454, p < .001, rrb = -.252) and verbal abuse (U = 5775, p < .001, rrb = -.263) are predictive of psychological aggression perpetration. However, physical aggression perpetration was predicted by only childhood emotional neglect (U = 5394, p = .012, rrb = -.157), but not abuse. No significant relationships were found between ACE scores and victimisation of physical and psychological aggression, nor between protective factors and the perpetration of aggression. Overall, findings suggested that violence was transmitted mainly through the perpetration of aggression, rather than through tolerance of victimisation, and that childhood emotional neglect could have more deleterious effects than previously expected.