Premarital mental disorders and physical violence in marriage: cross-national study of married couples

BackgroundMental disorders may increase the risk of physical violence among married couples.AimsTo estimate associations between premarital mental disorders and marital violence in a cross-national sample of married couples.MethodA total of 1821 married couples (3642 individuals) from 11 countries were interviewed as part of the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Sixteen mental disorders with onset prior to marriage were examined as predictors of marital violence reported by either spouse.ResultsAny physical violence was reported by one or both spouses in 20% of couples, and was associated with husbands' externalising disorders (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.2–2.3). Overall, the population attributable risk for marital violence related to premarital mental disorders was estimated to be 17.2%.ConclusionsHusbands' externalising disorders had a modest but consistent association with marital violence across diverse countries. This finding has implications for the development of targeted interventions to reduce risk of marital violence.

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How Mothers and Fathers Share Childcare

American Sociological Review ◽

10.1177/0003122411427673 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 76 (6) ◽

pp. 834-861 ◽

Cited By ~ 183

Author(s):

Lyn Craig ◽

Killian Mullan

Keyword(s):

Social Context ◽

Married Couples ◽

National Study ◽

Family Policies ◽

Cultural Attitudes ◽

Mothers And Fathers ◽

Household Level ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

The Impact ◽

Cross National

In most families today, childcare remains divided unequally between fathers and mothers. Scholars argue that persistence of the gendered division of childcare is due to multiple causes, including values about gender and family, disparities in paid work, class, and social context. It is likely that all of these factors interact, but to date researchers have not explored such interactions. To address this gap, we analyze nationally representative time-use data from Australia, Denmark, France, and Italy. These countries have different employment patterns, social and family policies, and cultural attitudes toward parenting and gender equality. Using data from matched married couples, we conduct a cross-national study of mothers’ and fathers’ relative time in childcare, divided along dimensions of task (i.e., routine versus non-routine activities) and co-presence (i.e., caring for children together as a couple versus caring solo). Results show that mothers’ and fathers’ work arrangements and education relate modestly to shares of childcare, and this relationship differs across countries. We find cross-national variation in whether more equal shares result from the behavior of mothers, fathers, or both spouses. Results illustrate the relevance of social context in accentuating or minimizing the impact of individual- and household-level characteristics.

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The cross-national epidemiology of DSM-IV intermittent explosive disorder

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291716001859 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 46 (15) ◽

pp. 3161-3172 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

K. M. Scott ◽

C. C. W. Lim ◽

I. Hwang ◽

T. Adamowski ◽

A. Al-Hamzawi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weighted Average ◽

World Health ◽

National Study ◽

Relationship Functioning ◽

Intermittent Explosive Disorder ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Co Morbidity ◽

The World ◽

Dsm Iv ◽

Cross National

BackgroundThis is the first cross-national study of intermittent explosive disorder (IED).MethodA total of 17 face-to-face cross-sectional household surveys of adults were conducted in 16 countries (n = 88 063) as part of the World Mental Health Surveys initiative. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0) assessed DSM-IV IED, using a conservative definition.ResultsLifetime prevalence of IED ranged across countries from 0.1 to 2.7% with a weighted average of 0.8%; 0.4 and 0.3% met criteria for 12-month and 30-day prevalence, respectively. Sociodemographic correlates of lifetime risk of IED were being male, young, unemployed, divorced or separated, and having less education. The median age of onset of IED was 17 years with an interquartile range across countries of 13–23 years. The vast majority (81.7%) of those with lifetime IED met criteria for at least one other lifetime disorder; co-morbidity was highest with alcohol abuse and depression. Of those with 12-month IED, 39% reported severe impairment in at least one domain, most commonly social or relationship functioning. Prior traumatic experiences involving physical (non-combat) or sexual violence were associated with increased risk of IED onset.ConclusionsConservatively defined, IED is a low prevalence disorder but this belies the true societal costs of IED in terms of the effects of explosive anger attacks on families and relationships. IED is more common among males, the young, the socially disadvantaged and among those with prior exposure to violence, especially in childhood.

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The Relation between Body Mass Index, Mental Health, and Functional Disability: A European Population Perspective

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/070674370805301007 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 53 (10) ◽

pp. 679-688 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Ronny Bruffaerts ◽

Koen Demyttenaere ◽

Gemma Vilagut ◽

Montserat Martinez ◽

Anke Bonnewyn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

General Population ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Body Mass ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Composite International Diagnostic Interview ◽

Normal Weight ◽

World Health ◽

National Study ◽

Work Loss

Objective: To examine the association between body mass, mental disorders, and functional disability in the general population of 6 European countries. Method: Data ( n = 21 425) were derived from the European Study on the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD). The third version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview was administered to assess mental disorders (mood, anxiety, and alcohol disorders) according to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-fourth edition, body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2, based on self-reported height and weight), and functional disability in the previous 30 days, assessed with the World Health Organization Disablement Assessment Scale—second version. Results: About 3% of the respondents were underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), 53% had normal weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2), 33% were overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9 kg/m2), and the remaining 12% met criteria for obesity (BMI > 30.0 kg/m2). Compared with individuals of normal weight, obese individuals were more likely to have mood (OR 1.3; 95%CI, 1.0 to 1.8) or more than one mental disorder (OR 1.4; 95%CI, 1.0 to 2.2). BMI had no impact on work loss days, whereas mental disorders had a considerable effect on work loss days. Conclusions: This is the first cross-national study investigating the role between BMI, mental disorders, and functional disability in the general population. Being overweight or obese is a common condition in the 6 ESEMeD countries. Although there is a moderate association between obesity and mental disorders, BMI did not independently influence functional disability.

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Parent psychopathology and offspring mental disorders: Results from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.111.101253 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 200 (4) ◽

pp. 290-299 ◽

Cited By ~ 105

Author(s):

Katie A. McLaughlin ◽

Anne M. Gadermann ◽

Irving Hwang ◽

Nancy A. Sampson ◽

Ali Al-Hamzawi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Health Surveys ◽

Population Attributable Risk ◽

Antisocial Behaviour ◽

Composite International Diagnostic Interview ◽

Diagnostic Interview ◽

World Health ◽

Parent Psychopathology ◽

World Mental Health

BackgroundAssociations between specific parent and offspring mental disorders are likely to have been overestimated in studies that have failed to control for parent comorbidity.AimsTo examine the associations of parent with respondent disorders.MethodData come from the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health Surveys (n = 51 507). Respondent disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and parent disorders with informant-based Family History Research Diagnostic Criteria interviews.ResultsAlthough virtually all parent disorders examined (major depressive, generalised anxiety, panic, substance and antisocial behaviour disorders and suicidality) were significantly associated with offspring disorders in multivariate analyses, little specificity was found. Comorbid parent disorders had significant sub-additive associations with offspring disorders. Population-attributable risk proportions for parent disorders were 12.4% across all offspring disorders, generally higher in high- and upper-middle- than low-/lower-middle-income countries, and consistently higher for behaviour (11.0–19.9%) than other (7.1–14.0%) disorders.ConclusionsParent psychopathology is a robust non-specific predictor associated with a substantial proportion of offspring disorders.

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