Date Approved

9-9-2026

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Criminal Justice (M.S.)

Degree Program

School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, & Legal Studies

First Advisor

Professor Christopher A. Kierkus

Second Advisor

Dr. Tonisha Jones

Third Advisor

Dr. Travis Milburn

Academic Year

2025/2026

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among youth is considered a social and public health concern globally, which coexists with other high-risk behaviors. Previous research has mostly focused on female victims and adult populations or examined a single outcome, did not distinguish between physical and sexual victimization, or overlooked gender differences. Guided by general strain theory, power-control theory, and a gendered perspective of GST, this study examined the associations between physical and sexual IPV victimization and four risk behavior categories: substance use, suicidal behavior, weapon carrying, and risky sexual behavior, among both male and female youths and tested for gender differences. Using data from the 2023 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 20,103), multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of both physical IPV and sexual IPV, controlling for gender, grade, and ethnicity, and adding sadness/suicidality, difficulty concentrating, and being threatened at school as intervening variables. Gender x IPV terms were tested for moderation. Both physical and sexual IPV were significantly associated with all four risk behaviors throughout all models. Even though their effect was reduced after adding demographic and intervening variables, both forms of IPV remained significant predictors of substance use, suicidal behavior, weapon carrying, and risky sexual behavior. Interaction analysis showed that experiencing physical IPV has a stronger effect on female youth, whereas the effect of sexual IPV did not differ by gender for any of the outcomes. These findings partially support both hypotheses and indicate that IPV is an independent predictor of internalizing and externalizing risk behaviors in both genders. As the data are cross-sectional, causal order cannot be established. The findings suggested the importance of gender-inclusive, trauma-informed, and coordinated school-based prevention approaches that screen for co-occurring risks.

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