Psychological Violence and Digital Monitoring in Young Adults' Romantic Relationships: The Role of Interparental Conflict Profiles and Emotion Regulation Mediation
Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology
Published online on May 31, 2026
Abstract
["Journal of Community &Applied Social Psychology, Volume 36, Issue 4, July/August 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\nInterparental conflict could lead to long‐term effects on offspring, increasing the likelihood of committing intimate partner violence, such as psychological violence and digital monitoring. This study aimed to classify different interparental conflict patterns based on frequency, intensity, and threat perception and to test the association between these profiles and emotional dysregulation. Three hundred six young adults aged 23–35 (M = 27.34, SD = 3.52) in heterosexual romantic relationships participated. Data were analysed utilizing latent profile analysis (LPA) to detect patterns of interparental conflict. Subsequently, a mediation model was tested to explore how parental conflict profiles are associated with psychological violence and digital monitoring, with emotion regulation difficulties mediating the relationship. The LPA results revealed five profiles: 1. low conflict; 2. moderate conflict, high threat; 3. high frequency, low threat; 4. moderate intensity and threat, high frequency; 5. high conflict. Findings showed that, compared to Profile 3, all profiles, except Profile 5, had a significant indirect effect, via emotion regulation, on both psychological violence and digital monitoring. The study suggests strategies to enhance emotional regulation and interventions to assist parents in managing their conflicts.\n"]