Child maltreatment has been occurring at distressing rates and is associated with grave consequences, including involvement in future violence. Victims of child maltreatment are at an increased risk for being the perpetrator and/or victim of youth violence and intimate partner violence. Due to the prevalence of child maltreatment and its association with future violence, it is important to identify ways to intervene with victims of child abuse and prevent the cycle of violence from continuing. The current study explores whether a supportive relationship with a teacher could prevent victims of child abuse from becoming involved in subsequent violence. Path analysis was used to explore the relationships between childhood maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner violence, and student-teacher relationships. Youth violence perpetration was associated with IPV perpetration for females, but not males. Youth violence victimization mediated the relationship between child physical abuse and IPV perpetration and victimization. The association between youth violence perpetration and youth violence victimization was stronger for male victims of child physical abuse who reported low levels of teacher support. Results emphasize the importance of interventions aimed at individuals with histories of child physical maltreatment to help prevent subsequent violence. While interventions may be similarly effective for males and females, specific interventions should be tailored toward females who perpetrate violence as adolescents and males who report low levels of teacher support.
