Dating Violence Leads to Less Education and Lower Lifetime Earnings

A study by led by Adrienne Adams, an assistant professor of psychology at Michigan State University, finds that young women who experience dating violence as teenagers, tend to go on to receive lower levels of education resulting in lower lifetime earnings. The study found that dating and domestic violence not only can cause physical and emotion stress which impacts the education process, but injuries can prevent women from attending school.

“There’s vast evidence showing how important education is for people’s quality of life,” Dr. Adams said. “Providing educational and career-development support for women who are abused seems like an obvious choice in terms of societal investment.”

Dr. Adams is a graduate of Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in ecological-community psychology from Michigan State University

The study was published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence and was coauthored by Megan Greeson of DePaul University, Angie Kennedy of Michigan State University, and Richard Tolman of the University of Michigan.