INTIMATE PARTNER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Intimate Partner Domestic Violence: An Exploration of Its Impact on Women's Mental Health



Abstract

The growing knowledge base documenting the prevalence of exposure to traumatic events has led to recent calls for further examination of the complexity of trauma in women's lives, including the co-occurrence of various forms of interpersonal violence and the cumulative negative effects of multiple types of trauma across the life span. Understanding links between types of trauma, their co-occurrence, and mental health outcomes requires not only examining a variety of forms of interpersonal and family violence but also studying mediating factors between distal trauma exposure and proximal symptoms of psychological distress.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Chapter 1: Introduction4

Background of the study4

Problem Statement4

The Purpose of the Study5

Rationale of the study5

Significance of the study10

Chapter 2: Literature Review16

Chapter 3: Methodology22

Participants22

Procedure24

Measures27

Time 1 Data27

Child sexual abuse28

Child physical abuse29

Witnessing IPV as a child30

Childhood family violence composite30

Index of additional childhood risk31

Adult IPV31

Adult sexual assault32

Psychological IPV33

Cumulative Time 1 adult relationship trauma33

Markers of protective resources in adulthood34

Time 4 Data36

Symptom Check List—90-R; SCL-90-R; Derogatis & Cleary, 2007; Derogatis, 2005)37

Revictimization or proximal intimate partner abuse37

Data Analysis Plan38

References40

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background of the study

Although early research on family violence and violence against women saw the development of separate lines of inquiry for child maltreatment, sexual assault, and physical intimate partner violence (IPV), a large number of studies are now examining the relationships among such trauma types and their impact on physical and mental health across the life span. For example, studies document the frequent co-occurrence of types of child maltreatment (e.g., Briere & Runtz, 2000: Mullen, Martin, Anderson, Romans, & Herbison, 2006) and revictimization of child abuse survivors in adulthood (e.g., Classen, Palesh, & Aggarwal, 2005; Roodman & Clum, 2001; Seedat, Stein, & Forde, 2005).

Problem Statement

The present study examined the role of multiple types of trauma exposure in the mental health functioning of a convenience clinical sample of women in families brought to the attention of social services because of allegations of family violence with their children as victims of either witnessing or experiencing abuse. (Derogatis, 2007) In addition to broadening the range of trauma investigated, the present study draws on theoretical and empirical work to assess the role of several mediating variables representing both risk and protective factors in understanding mental health outcomes among women using longitudinal data. (Epstein, 2008)

The Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the present study is to add to our understanding of mental health outcomes of women using a convenience clinical sample of families reported to a social service agency for family violence.

Rationale of the study

Battered husbands have historically been either ignored or subjected to ridicule and abuse. (Muthén, 2008) In 2004, a study was done which compared male and female domestic violence. In that study, it was found that 47% of husbands had used physical violence on their wives, and 33% of wives had used violence on their husbands. (Deblinger, 2009)

In 2004, a study was released showing that the number of murders of women by men ...