Disability, sexual orientation, and the mental health outcomes of intimate partner violence: A comparative study of women in the U.S.

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethany M. Coston
2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110435
Author(s):  
Katherine E. Marçal

The present study investigated pathways from childhood exposure to mothers’ intimate partner violence (IPV) to adolescent depression and anxiety. Further, the study examined whether housing insecurity mediated the link from IPV exposure to mental health outcomes. Data came from the Years 5, 9 and 15 interviews of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study; the analytic sample was limited to mothers with at least partial custody of children ( N = 2,425). Structural equation modeling with latent variables investigated research questions. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) identified observed indicators for latent constructs, and a path analysis tested direct and indirect pathways from IPV exposure to adolescent depression and anxiety. IPV exposure at age five was associated with increased housing insecurity at age nine, which was associated with increased adolescent depression and anxiety at age 15. Although IPV exposure was not directly associated with either mental health outcome, housing insecurity mediated the link from IPV exposure to adolescent depression. Findings point to the long-term consequences of exposure to intimate partner violence in childhood, highlighting pathways to mental disorder in adolescence. The present study emphasizes the need for policies that protect survivors of IPV from eviction and homelessness, empower them to leave abusers without fear of losing their housing, and promote healthy child development in the wake of family violence.


2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802110438
Author(s):  
Miranda E. Reyes ◽  
Lauren Simpson ◽  
Tami P. Sullivan ◽  
Ateka A. Contractor ◽  
Nicole H. Weiss

Hispanic women in the United States experience disproportionate mental health impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV). Following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines, we synthesized the existing knowledge based on IPV and mental health outcomes among Hispanic women in the United States. In May 2020, we searched five electronic databases (i.e., MEDLINE, PILOTS, PSYCInfo, PSYCArticles, and EMBASE). From the initial 1,180 results, 13 articles met inclusion criteria for this review (written in English, empirical study, focus on the experiences of victimization from an intimate partner, focus on mental health outcomes occurring in the person experiencing IPV, included women who identify as Hispanic, and included participants residing in the United States), representing 4,060 women. Findings highlighted significant positive associations between IPV ( n = 13; 4,060 women) and general mental health outcomes ( n = 4; 759 women) as well as the specific outcomes of depression ( n = 12; 2,661 women), anxiety ( n = 1; 274 women), post-traumatic stress disorder ( n = 3; 515 women), and substance misuse ( n = 2; 1,673 women) among Hispanic women in the United States. Limitations included heterogeneity across Hispanic populations and methodological differences between studies. Key avenues for future research were identified, including the need to examine mental health outcomes understudied in relation to IPV among Hispanic women (e.g., personality, obsessive-compulsive, and eating disorders) and to identify cultural and demographic factors (e.g., nativity status, level of acculturation) that may influence relations between IPV and mental health outcomes among Hispanic women. Such research can inform prevention and intervention efforts aimed at improving mental health among Hispanic women in the Untied States experiencing IPV.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethany M Coston

Using data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (2010) and theoretically informed by lifecourse and intersectionality perspectives, this paper confirms that disabled women are both more likely to experience intimate partner violence and post-victimization negative mental health outcomes; however, race ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, income and region do not impact these outcomes, while educational attainment does. Specifically, higher educated disabled women are significantly more likely to report negative post-traumatic impacts. Suggestions include the need to account for intersectional identity issues in post-traumatic health care access, as not all disabled women have equivalent access to quality, culturally compassionate healthcare.


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