Psychological consequences and daily life adjustment for victims of intimate partner violence

Author(s):  
Roser Cirici Amell ◽  
Aloma Riera Soler ◽  
Jesus Cobo ◽  
Joan Miquel Soldevilla Alberti

Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a distressing reality worldwide. Victims of IPV usually experience long-term mental health disorders and maladjustments in their daily lives. Aims To examine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder in female victims of IPV that participated in a public mental health care program, and to analyze the relationships between the type of IPV exposure, its psychological consequences, and daily life adjustment. Method Up to 164 female victims of IPV referred by their primary care doctors to the Adult Mental Health Casntre of Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona) between 2010 and 2016 were evaluated using several tests (Index of Spouse Abuse - ISA, Beck Depression Inventory - BDI-II, Sate-Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI, the Maladjustement Scale - MS, and the Severity Symptom Scale for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - EGS). Results Of the 164 referred women, 102 (62.2%) agreed to participate (mean age 44.98 years, range 19–71) and 73% scored above the cut-off point in the physical IPV dimension (ISA). Moreover, 73% had depression symptoms, 77% trait anxiety, and 87% state anxiety altered scores. Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder was also high (87%). IPV interfered significantly in all the aspects of the daily lives of 92% of the sample. Conclusions The participants of the study experienced many psychological symptoms and a high level of interference with all aspects of their daily lives. These consequences were of similar magnitude amongst victims of emotional abuse compared to those who suffered physical violence.

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110428
Author(s):  
Paloma Labra-Valerdi ◽  
Salvador Chacón-Moscoso ◽  
Susana Sanduvete-Chaves

Studies about violence against women specific to the Chilean population are scarce. As a result, government treatment programs lack a local perspective. Predictor variables were analyzed in the mental health of Chilean women who have survived intimate partner abuse. Two hundred and two women who made regular visits to public Women’s Centers participated in the study; on average, they had survived 11 years of abuse. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine what variable/s in the history of violence best predicted the mental health variables. Among other protective factors, an increase in both resilience and the time since the last violent episode yielded a reduction in levels of general psychological distress ( B = –1.836, p < .001 and B = 1.117, p < .001 respectively), post-traumatic stress disorder ( B = –1.243, p = .002 and B = 1.221, p < .001 respectively), and depression ( B = –1.822, p < .001 and B = 1.433, p < .001 respectively). The study also noted risk factors such as a high level of additional stressors, which in turn led to increased levels of general psychological distress ( B = 1.007, p = .005), post-traumatic stress disorder ( B = 0.928, p = .013), and depression ( B = 1.061, p = .016). The Women’s Center is the place where women feel most supported. To improve the effectiveness of treatments at these centers and aid in the recovery of women who have suffered from intimate partner violence, the predictive factors significantly related to mental health should be taken into account. This means prioritizing cases where the last episode of violence was more recent, addressing additional stressors, and promoting resilience.


2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742098141
Author(s):  
Jessica C Bird ◽  
Emma C Fergusson ◽  
Miriam Kirkham ◽  
Christina Shearn ◽  
Ashley-Louise Teale ◽  
...  

Objective: Paranoia may be particularly prevalent during adolescence, building on the heightened social vulnerabilities at this age. Excessive mistrust may be corrosive for adolescent social relationships, especially in the context of mental health disorders. We set out to examine the prevalence, symptom associations, and persistence of paranoia in a cohort of young people attending child and adolescent mental health services. Method: A total of 301 patients (11–17 years old) completed measures of paranoia, affect, peer difficulties and behavioural problems. Clinicians also rated each participant’s psychiatric symptoms. Patterns of association were examined using linear regressions and network analyses. In total, 105 patients repeated the measures several months later. Results: Most of the adolescents had affective disorders ( n = 195), self-harm/suicidality ( n = 82), or neurodevelopmental conditions ( n = 125). Few had suspected psychosis ( n = 7). Rates of paranoia were approximately double compared with previous reports from the general population. In this patient sample, 35% had at least elevated paranoia, 15% had at least moderate paranoia, and 6% had high paranoia. Paranoia had moderate associations with clinician-rated peer difficulties, self-harm, and trauma, and small associations with clinician-rated social anxiety, depression, generalised anxiety, and educational problems. Network analyses showed paranoia had the strongest unique relationship with peer difficulties. Paths from peer difficulties to anxiety, self-harm, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and behavioural problems were all via paranoia. Both self-harm and post-traumatic stress disorder were solely associated with paranoia in the network. Paranoia remained persistent for three-quarters and was associated with greater psychological problems over time. Conclusion: Paranoia is relatively common and persistent across a range of clinical presentations in youth. When paranoia occurs alongside emotional problems, important peer interactions may be adversely affected. Wider consideration of paranoia in adolescent patients is needed.


2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
C Williamson ◽  
J Baumann ◽  
W Busuttil ◽  
N T Fear

IntroductionData are emerging showing the adverse consequences on mental health of the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the needs of veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through a cross-sectional online survey from a randomly selected sample (n=1092) of military veterans who have sought help for mental health difficulties from a veteran-specific UK-based charity. The response rate was 25.2% (n=275). Participants were asked to complete a range of standardised mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, common mental health difficulties (CMDs): 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, difficulties with anger: 5-Item Dimensions of Anger Reactions—Revised and alcohol misuse: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and endorse a list of potential stressors related to changes to daily life resulting from COVID-19. Regression analyses were fitted to explore predictors of mental health severity.ResultsIt was observed that symptoms of common mental disorder and PTSD (69.3% and 65.0%, respectively) were the most commonly reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Lack of social support and reporting increasing numbers of stressors related to COVID-19 were consistently associated with increasing severity of a range of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsOur findings suggest veterans who had pre-existing mental health difficulties prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 may be at increased risk of experiencing CMDs as a result of the pandemic. Intervening to improve levels of social support and offering practical guidance to better manage any additional stressors relating to the pandemic may provide strategies to help reduce the burden of mental health symptoms.


2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802110484
Author(s):  
Aino Suomi ◽  
Annalese Bolton ◽  
Dave Pasalich

Background Birth parents of children in the statutory child protection system have disproportionally high rates of trauma exposure and mental health problems, however, little is known about the extent to which this population display symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex PTSD. This study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the PTSD rates in parent samples involved in the child protection services. Method Articles were identified by searching PSYCINFO, Medline, CINAHL, and PILOTS. The search included terminology pertaining to parents, trauma, and child protective services and we included all peer-reviewed articles that reported a valid measure of PTSD and child protection service involvement. Results Fifteen studies were included in the review with a combined prevalence estimate for PTSD based on 11 studies ( n = 4871) was 26.0% (95% CI 20.0–32.0%) for mothers, and estimate based on three studies ( n = 2606) was 13.0% (95% CI 7.0%–18.0%) for fathers and 23.0% (95% CI 17.0–29.0) for all parents based on 7848 responses. Four studies that did not report prevalence rates, reported sample mean scores for PTSD that were consistently higher than in general population. Factors associated with parents’ PTSD symptoms included mental health co-morbidities, victimization of physical and sexual violence, and perpetration of child abuse. Conclusion There are high rates of PTSD in parents involved in the protective system, thus more targeted efforts are needed to identify and adequately address trauma symptoms of parents as part of child protection interventions.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e046996
Author(s):  
Kirsty Clark ◽  
John Pachankis ◽  
Kaveh Khoshnood ◽  
Richard Bränström ◽  
David Seal ◽  
...  

BackgroundDisplaced Syrians face psychiatric morbidity often resulting from displacement-related stressors (eg, resource scarcity). Both men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women among the displaced Syrians are particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges given that they also often face stigma-related stressors (eg, discrimination).MethodsBetween January and December 2019 in greater Beirut, 258 Lebanese-born MSM and transgender women and 230 displaced Syrian MSM and transgender women were recruited via respondent-driven sampling to complete an in-person survey assessing displacement-related stressors, stigma-related stressors, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. In the total sample, we first documented the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among the displaced Syrians; we then assessed associations among displacement-related and stigma-related stressors and each psychiatric outcome.ResultsSixty-three per cent of Syrian participants met criteria for depression compared with 43.8% of Lebanese participants (p<0.001); 21.3% of Syrians met criteria for severe anxiety compared with 13.1% of Lebanese participants (p<0.05) and 33.0% of Syrians met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder compared with 18.4% of Lebanese participants (p<0.001). Among Syrian MSM and transgender women, sociodemographic characteristics, displacement-related stressors and stigma-related stressors were uniquely associated with psychiatric morbidity.ConclusionDisplaced Syrian MSM and transgender women experience higher levels of psychiatric comorbidities than Lebanese MSM and transgender women in part due to compounding exposure to displacement-related stressors and stigma-related stressors. Informed by tenets of minority stress theory and intersectionality theory, we discuss mental health intervention implications and future directions.


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