title: Ethnicity and risk for symptoms of posttraumatic stress following intimate partner violence: prevalence and predictors in European American and African American women.
abstract: The present study uses a feminist theoretical framework to explore risk factors for the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms following intimate partner violence, with a community sample of 120 low-income European American and African American women. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine demographic, violence, and mental health variables that predict posttraumatic stress symptoms. The data reveal that African American women report lower levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms than do their European American peers. This difference was observed despite the presence of more empirically identified risk factors for African American women. Regression analyses show that symptoms of depression increase risk for posttraumatic stress for both groups. However, a difference was observed such that past victimization increase risk for only European American women, whereas amount of psychological violence in the previous year increases risk for only African American women. Potential explanations for observed ethnic differences are offered.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, Department of Psychology, 2250 East Hall, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1109, USA. grossmm@umich.edu
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lilly
authors.forename: Sandra A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Graham-Bermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health; D001741:Black or African American