Women's appraisals of intimate partner violence stressfulness and their relationship to depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) increases risk for depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Most studies use a dose-response approach to examine the impact of IPV on mental health, but they often fail to explain mental health outcome specificity as well as to assess the impact of women's subjective appraisals. The present research examined women's IPV stressfulness appraisals and their psychological functioning (depressive and PTSD symptoms). Results indicate that IPV stressfulness appraisals are associated with depressive symptoms over and above frequency and severity of IPV. PTSD symptoms were associated with frequent and stressful IPV. Women who experienced highly frequent and highly stressful IPV were most likely to display comorbid depressive and PTSD symptoms. Results underscore the importance of women's subjective experiences and the heterogeneity of women's responses to IPV.
Martinez-Torteya
Cecilia
C
Michigan State University, MI, USA. marti933@msu.edu
Bogat
G Anne
GA
von Eye
Alexander
A
Levendosky
Alytia A
AA
Davidson
William S
WS
D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult