Problem-Solving and Mental Health Outcomes of Women and Children in the Wake of Intimate Partner Violence

The environmental stress of intimate partner violence is common and often results in mental health problems of depression, anxiety, and PTSD for women and behavioral dysfunctions for their children. Problem-solving skills can serve to mitigate or accentuate the environmental stress of violence and associated impact on mental health. To better understand the relationship between problem-solving skills and mental health of abused women with children, a cross-sectional predictive analysis of 285 abused women who used justice or shelter services was completed. The women were asked about social problem-solving, and mental health symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD as well as behavioral functioning of their children. Higher negative problem-solving scores were associated with significantlyP<0.001greater odds of having clinically significant levels of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and somatization for the woman and significantlyP<0.001greater odds of her child having borderline or clinically significant levels of both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. A predominately negative problem-solving approach was strongly associated with poorer outcomes for both mothers and children in the aftermath of the environmental stress of abuse. Interventions addressing problem-solving ability may be beneficial in increasing abused women’s abilities to navigate the daily stressors of life following abuse.

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The effect of training problem-solving skills for pregnant women experiencing intimate partner violence: a randomized control trial

Pan African Medical Journal ◽

10.11604/pamj.2018.30.79.14872 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 ◽

Author(s):

Ziba Taghizadeh ◽

Maryam Pourbakhtiar ◽

Sogand Ghasemzadeh ◽

Khadijeh Azimi ◽

Abbas Mehran

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Problem Solving ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Randomized Control Trial ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Training Problem ◽

Problem Solving Skills ◽

Randomized Control

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Partner violence and postnatal mental health: cross-sectional analysis of factors associated with depression and anxiety in new mothers

Australian Journal of Primary Health ◽

10.1071/py17174 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 24 (5) ◽

pp. 434 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shubha Kamana Mandal ◽

Leesa Hooker ◽

Hassan Vally ◽

Angela Taft

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Child Health ◽

Maternal And Child Health ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Postnatal Depression ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Abused Women ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

And Child Health

Intimate-partner violence and poor mental health are common, harmful issues for women of childbearing age. Although the prevalence and correlates of postpartum depression are well established, far less is known about postpartum anxiety. We aimed to investigate the association between postnatal depression and anxiety, and intimate-partner violence among women attending Victorian Maternal and Child Health services, using data from a randomised control trial: Improving Maternal and Child Health care for Vulnerable Mothers (MOVE). These data included postnatal women who had given birth between May and December 2010. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the association between intimate partner violence (using the Composite Abuse Scale) and postnatal depression and anxiety (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale), controlling for participant socio-demographic characteristics. Findings showed that abused women were more likely to report postnatal depressive and anxiety symptoms. There was an almost two-fold (odds ratio (OR) 1.76, 95% CI 1.03–3.01) and three-fold (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.58–4.28) increase in the odds of reporting depressive and anxiety symptoms respectively, among abused compared with non-abused women. Abused women are at a higher risk of mental health problems. This study validated findings that intimate-partner violence is strongly associated with an increased risk of postnatal depression and highlighted the previously under-reported relationship with postnatal anxiety.

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Social problem solving strategies and posttraumatic stress disorder in the aftermath of intimate partner violence

Journal of Anxiety Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.janxdis.2015.02.007 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 31-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Catherine M. Reich ◽

Náthali Blackwell ◽

Catherine A. Simmons ◽

J. Gayle Beck

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Problem Solving ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Social Problem ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Social Problem Solving ◽

Problem Solving Strategies

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Examining Associations Between Strangulation and Depressive Symptoms in Women With Intimate Partner Violence Histories

Violence and Victims ◽

10.1891/0886-6708.33.6.1072 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 1072-1087 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mona Mittal ◽

Kathryn Resch ◽

Corey Nichols-Hadeed ◽

Jennifer Thompson Stone ◽

Kelly Thevenet-Morrison ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Family Court ◽

Abused Women

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with poor mental health outcomes among women. Studies on IPV and mental health show that experiencing more than one type of IPV often enhances women’s depression or depressive symptoms. However, most of these studies conceptualize IPV as physical, psychological, or sexual violence. Little is known about specific experiences of severe IPV, such as strangulation, that put victims at greater risk of lethality and serious injury and their association with women’s depression. This study examined associations between IPV, strangulation, and depression among women using secondary data collected for a randomized clinical trial testing an integrated HIV–IPV prevention intervention for abused women. Women were recruited from healthcare service delivery organizations, Department of Health and Human Services, and family court. Women (n = 175) completed assessments on IPV, strangulation, mental health, social support, and self-esteem. The majority reported strangulation (n = 103) and depressive symptoms (n = 101). Women who experienced strangulation also reported more severe physical (p < .001), sexual (p < .001), and psychological (p < .001) abuse. However, in multivariate logistic regression with sociodemographics, violence variables, and strangulation, none of these variables were associated with a higher risk for depressive symptoms. Social support had a protective effect on depressive symptoms. Findings suggest strangulation is prevalent among abused women seeking services, warranting screening, assessment, and referral in these settings.

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Evaluating the Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence-Related Training and Mental Health Professionals’ Assessment of Relationship Problems

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/08862605211005154 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052110051

Author(s):

Samantha C. Burns ◽

Cary S. Kogan ◽

Richard E. Heyman ◽

Heather M. Foran ◽

Amy M. Smith Slep ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Training Programs ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Relationship Problems ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

The Relationship

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem associated with increased risk of developing mental health conditions. Assessment of IPV in mental health settings is important for appropriate treatment planning and referral; however, lack of training in how to identify and respond to IPV presents a significant barrier to assessment. To address this issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) advanced a series of evidence-based recommendations for IPV-related training programs. This study examines the relationship between mental health professionals’ experiences of IPV-related training, including the degree to which their training resembles WHO training recommendations, and their accuracy in correctly identifying relationship problems. Participants were psychologists and psychiatrists ( N = 321) from 24 countries who agreed to participate in an online survey in French, Japanese, or Spanish. They responded to questions regarding their IPV-related training (i.e., components and hours of training) and rated the presence or absence of clinically significant relationship problems and maltreatment (RPM) and mental disorders across four case vignettes. Participants who received IPV-related training, and whose training was more recent and more closely resembled WHO training recommendations, were more likely than those without training to accurately identify RPM when it was present. Clinicians regardless of IPV-related training were equally likely to misclassify normative couple issues as clinically significant RPM. Findings suggest that IPV-related training assists clinicians in making more accurate assessments of patients presenting with clinically significant relationship problems, including IPV. These data inform recommendations for IPV-related training programs and suggest that training should be repeated, multicomponent, and include experiential training exercises, and guidelines for distinguishing normative relationship problems from clinically significant RPM.

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