The cycle of violence: The role of dissociation in the relationship between child maltreatment and intimate partner violence among urban women with and without a history of substance abuse

The primary aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the role of dissociation in the relationship between child maltreatment and intimate partner violence among 148 inner city substance-using and non-substance using women. It was proposed that dissociation would be a mediator in the relationship between child maltreatment and both intimate partner perpetration and victimization. Overall, the hypotheses were partially supported. Findings revealed that dissociation was a mediator between child maltreatment and intimate partner perpetration. While high dissociation was associated with re-victimization, dissociation was not a mediator between child maltreatment and intimate partner victimization. It was hypothesized that among the 59 women who returned for the follow-up study, those with high dissociation at baseline would have been more likely to experience more intimate partner violence at follow-up; however, their frequency of intimate partner violence decreased.