Intimate Partner Violence and Inflammaging: Conflict Tactics Predict Inflammation Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults

In long-term relationships, conflict is inevitable, but physical and psychological aggression is not. Intimate partner violence is a known risk factor for age-related disease onset, and inflammation likely links the two. This study explores relationships between frequency of constructive (i.e., negotiation) and destructive (i.e., aggression) conflict tactics with inflammation in both younger and older adulthood. Based on the theory of inflammaging, the study investigates whether these associations were stronger in mid-to-late adulthood.

At one visit, 214 participants in long-term romantic relationships had their blood drawn to assess six inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α], C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A (SAA), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule) and reported frequency of destructive and constructive conflict tactics with their partner in the past year on the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale short form.

Age interacted with number of destructive conflicts per year to predict serum IL-6 ( F (1,200) = 5.3, p = .022), TNF-α ( F (1,180) = 4.2, p = .043), sICAM ( F (1,193) = 7.0, p = .008), and marginally SAA ( F (1,199) = 3.7, p = .055), such that middle-aged and older adults who reported more destructive tactics had higher inflammation. Also, the relationship between constructive conflict frequency and TNF-α also depended on age ( F (1,177) = 4.9, p = .029), in that older adults who reported a greater number of constructive tactics had lower TNF-α.

Couples' conflict tactics may influence levels of inflammation and therefore aging rate in mid-to-late life. Middle-aged and older adults may disproportionately benefit from a healthy partnership and suffer from an unhealthy partnership.