title: The impact of childhood maltreatment on PTSD symptoms among female survivors of intimate partner violence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors often report histories of childhood maltreatment, yet the unique contributions of childhood maltreatment on IPV survivors' distinct posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms remain inadequately understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using interview and self-report measures, we examined IPV as a potential mediator of the association between childhood maltreatment and severity of PTSD symptom clusters (reexperiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal) among a sample of 425 women seeking help for recent IPV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural equation modeling demonstrated that while both childhood maltreatment and IPV were both positively associated with PTSD symptom clusters, IPV did not mediate the association between childhood maltreatment and severity of PTSD symptom clusters among acute IPV survivors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood maltreatment has persistent effects on the PTSD symptoms of IPV survivors, suggesting that child maltreatment may need to be addressed in addition to IPV during PTSD treatment.
authors.affiliation: VA Boston Healthcare System, USA. Robyn.Gobin@va.gov
authors.forename: Robyn L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gobin
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Iverson
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: VA Boston Healthcare System, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaughn
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Resick
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult