Kathryn A. Branch Ph.d.

The Role of Social Support in the Use of Intimate Partner Violence: an Exploration of the Role of Social Support in Heterosexual Women's Use of Non-lethal Intimate Partner Violence Kathryn A. Branch Ph.d.

The concept of social support has been found to be a protective factor in women's intimate partner violence victimization. However, little is known about the relationship between women's social support from family and friends and their intimate partner violence perpetration. Research evidence demonstrates that women's perpetration of violence is surprisingly frequent, particularly in women younger than age 30. This study investigated the role of social support in heterosexual women's use and receipt of non-lethal aggression against an intimate partner among 673 female college students. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.