Lunch & Learn: Utilizing Relational Turbulence Theory to Understand Intimate Partner Violence among Emerging Adult College Students

September 20, 2019
11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
200 South Quad

Summer scholars-in-residence Sylvia Mikucki-Enyart, Assistant Professor in Communication Studies, and Kayla Reed-Fitzke, Assistant Professor in Couple & Family Therapy, will present their project, “Lunch & Learn: Utilizing Relational Turbulence Theory to Understand Intimate Partner Violence among Emerging Adult College Students.” 

Although individual and contextual factors, such as attachment style and witnessing or experiencing abuse in childhood, have been identified as antecedents of intimate partner violence (IPV), given the pervasive nature of IPV among emerging adult college students we look toward more ubiquitous (and seemingly innocuous) indicators of IPV—relationship characteristics and relational transgressions. During our presentation we will discuss the progress we made during our residency period. We will present findings from our first manuscript which utilizes relational turbulence theory (Solomon, Knobloch, Theiss, & McLaren, 2016) to understand how common relationship characteristics (e.g., relational uncertainty) and transgressions, specifically infidelity, correspond with perpetration of IPV and how IPV perpetration is linked to individual outcomes. Next, we will outline preliminary findings for our second manuscript which examines emerging adult college student uncertainty management following partner infidelity and associations with IPV victimization. Finally, we will end by overviewing the next stages of our project.

 Lunch will be provided. If you plan to attend, please contact leslie-gannon@uiowa.edu by September 17, and please note any dietary restrictions.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Dragana Petic at dragana-petic@uiowa.edu.