Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, Social Support, and Resilience: Effects on the Anxiety Levels of Young Mothers

Young mothers face considerable challenges that can affect their mental health, with anxiety being one of the most common mental health problems observed in this population. Furthermore, pregnancy is one of the risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV). There is thus an urgent need to explore the IPV risk faced by young mothers and its association with their mental health, anxiety in particular. The study aimed to investigate the correlation between IPV victimization and anxiety in young mothers, as well as the protective effects of social support and resilience. A total of 79 young Chinese mothers aged 16 to 25 were recruited from a special service project for young parents in Hong Kong. Just more than half (50.6%) were found to have experienced psychological aggression by their current partner, with 26.6% and 13.9%, respectively, having experienced physical assault and sexual abuse. Roughly a quarter (25.3%) perceived themselves to suffer from moderate or severe generalized anxiety disorder. Logistic regression further showed the young mothers who had experienced physical assault and/or sexual abuse by their current partners to be at least six times likelier to have moderate or severe anxiety disorder (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.51, p < .05) than those who had experienced no such violence. Young mothers with less perceived social support (aOR = 0.77, p < .01), a lower secondary level of education or below (aOR = 12.99, p < .05), and in receipt of social security assistance (aOR = 5.69, p < .05) were also likelier to have moderate or severe anxiety disorder. The results indicate the importance of social support during the critical period of young motherhood. Health care professionals need to remain alert to the impacts of IPV victimization and the risk of anxiety in young mothers with a low level of education and/or receiving financial support.

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Female Intimate Partner Violence Victims and Labor Force Participation

Partner Abuse ◽

10.1891/1946-6560.2.2.147 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 147-165 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carla VandeWeerd, ◽

Martha L. Coulter, ◽

Melissa C. Mercado-Crespo,

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Parenting Stress ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Employment Success ◽

The Past ◽

Mediating Factors

Although a non-gender-specific problem, intimate partner violence (IPV) disproportionately affects women on welfare, with an estimated prevalence two to three times larger than the national prevalence rates of IPV for all women. This article examines the effects of IPV on women leaving welfare for employment in a purposive sample of 411 women in Florida who participated or were actively participating in the 2000–2002 Work and Gain Economic Self-Sufficiency (WAGES) program. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, their IPV experiences, and mediating factors (i.e., social support, employer support, physical and mental health, parenting stress, and employment success) were collected via quantitative telephone interviews. Logistic regression analyses found that employment success among welfare-recipient women who are currently in a relationship is best predicted by a short-term impact of having experienced IPV before the past 12 months (OR = 2.17). Linear regression analyses found that having suitable housing predicted lower parenting stress (F = 3.20, p ≤ .05) and better physical health (F = 4.30, p ≤ .05) and social support (F = 1.90, p ≤ .001) outcomes. In addition, suffering from IPV within the past 12 months predicted worse mental health (F = −7.74, p ≤ .001) and lower parenting stress outcomes (F = −3.99, p ≤ .001). This study contributes to understanding the complexity of mediating factors affecting IPV’s impact on employment success of women leaving welfare.

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Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health Within the Community During Lockdown of Covid-19 Pandemic

10.21203/rs.3.rs-418428/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Fabienne Glowacz ◽

Emilie Schmits ◽

Amandine Dziewa

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Living Environment ◽

Psychological Aggression ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Physical Assault ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background: This study took place in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictive confinement measures put in place to counter the virus’ spread could have major consequences for the mental health and intimate relationships between romantic partners. The present research assesses the association between lockdown conditions (such as time spent at home, living environment, proximity to contamination and social contacts), mental health (including intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety and depression) and the intimate partner violence within the community. This study also proposes to evaluate the indirect effect of anxiety and depression on the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and intimate partner violence (physical assault and psychological aggression). Methods: 1532 adults (80.8% of women, Mage=35.34) were recruited from the general population through an online self-report questionnaire completed during the lockdown. All participants were engaged in a romantic relationship and lived with their partner. Sociodemographic data, lockdown conditions, mental health and intimate partner related-variables were assessed. Results: Results demonstrate that the prevalence of physical assault was significantly higher in men, whereas the prevalence of psychological aggression was significantly higher in women. Men reported significantly more increased violence during lockdown. Women, on the other hand, were more anxious and more intolerant of uncertainty. No difference between men and women was found for depression. Anxiety and depression significantly mediate the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and physical assault and psychological aggression. Sex does not moderate the mediation. Conclusion: Clinical implications for public health policy are highlighted, namely the necessity to consider the impact of uncertainty related to crises in increasing the risk of intimate violence between partners, and especially individual vulnerability to mental health problems associated.

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Does Antenatal Social Support Affect the Relationships Between Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy And Perinatal Mental Health?

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/1077801219835052 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (6-7) ◽

pp. 573-589 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sachiko Kita ◽

Megumi Haruna ◽

Masayo Matsuzaki ◽

Kiyoko Kamibeppu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Antenatal Depressive Symptoms ◽

The Relationship

Intimate partner violence (IPV) causes adverse perinatal mental health outcomes; however, few studies have identified why. We focused on antenatal social support to reveal how it affects the relationship between IPV during pregnancy and mental health outcomes. A prospective cohort study was conducted during the third trimester and 1-month postnatal. The relationship between IPV during pregnancy and antenatal depressive symptoms, which were associated with mother–infant bonding failure and postnatal depressive symptoms, was affected by mother’s satisfaction with antenatal social support. Perceived social support for abused women must be increased to prevent antenatal depressive symptoms and adverse postnatal mental health outcomes.

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A systematic review of intimate partner violence interventions focused on improving social support and/ mental health outcomes of survivors

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0235177 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (6) ◽

pp. e0235177

Author(s):

Emilomo Ogbe ◽

Stacy Harmon ◽

Rafael Van den Bergh ◽

Olivier Degomme

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Mental Health Outcomes

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Psychological Distress and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: The Role of Maternal Satisfaction, Parenting Stress, and Social Support Among Mothers and Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260516674199 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (19) ◽

pp. 4114-4136 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ricardo J. Pinto ◽

Patrícia Correia-Santos ◽

Alytia Levendosky ◽

Inês Jongenelen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Parenting Stress ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Maternal Satisfaction ◽

Mothers And Children

Studies of the effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) on parenting have usually not examined the role of the maternal perceptions, either its stress or maternal satisfaction, on the mothers’ and children’s mental health functioning. The present study aimed to assess whether maternal satisfaction, parenting stress, and social support are significantly associated with women’s psychological functioning. The study also assessed whether maternal perceptions of the role of parenting were significantly associated with children’s emotional well-being and social behavior. The sample included 160 mothers, 79 (49.4%) who were living with the aggressors and 81 (50.6%) in shelters, and their children ( n = 61). The findings suggested that high levels of maternal satisfaction and perception of social support were significantly negatively associated with women’s posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and psychological distress, whereas parenting stress was significantly positively associated with these outcomes. Maternal satisfaction was the only parenting variable that predicted both maternal mental health and children’s emotional and behavioral problems, suggesting that it is a protective factor for both mothers and children. This study suggests that increasing maternal satisfaction with parenting and reducing parenting stress might promote better adjustment for both women and children victims of IPV.

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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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