title: Intimate partner violence: psychological and verbal abuse during pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between sociodemographic, pregnancy-related variables and psychological and verbal intimate partner abuse, as well as to determine which of these variables are predictors of psychological and verbal intimate partner abuse during pregnancy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Intimate partner violence is a significant health issue, with severe implications to both mother and foetus. However, much of the research to date focuses on the outcomes of physical abuse. This article addresses the dearth in the literature by examining the association between sociodemographic, pregnancy-related variables and psychological and verbal intimate partner abuse during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey research design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred postnatal women were recruited by convenience, nonproportional quota sampling technique. The WHO Violence Against Women Instrument was self-administered by participants. The association between categorical variables was assessed using Pearson's chi-square test, the strength of association using Cramer's V and the phi coefficient, and the identification of predictor variables for psychological and verbal abuse using logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four predictors were identified for psychological abuse, namely low education level in women, an unplanned pregnancy, experiencing two or more pregnancy-related health problems and living with an unemployed partner. However, unemployment in women, an unplanned pregnancy, fear of partner and a low education level of partner were identified as the predictors of verbal abuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identified a number of variables that strongly predict psychological and verbal intimate partner abuse during pregnancy; however, it extends the available literature by identifying a low standard of education in males, unemployment and fear of the intimate partner as the significant predictors of psychological and verbal intimate partner abuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Healthcare professionals should be aware of the predictors predisposing pregnant women to abuse. This would enable the identification of pregnant women who are susceptible to psychological and verbal intimate partner abuse, thus enabling the provision of adequate support. There is also a need to introduce routine screening for psychological and verbal intimate partner abuse during the antenatal period, following extensive training to all professionals concerned.
authors: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
authors: Christie
authors: C
authors: Debono
authors: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.|International Confederation of Midwives, The Hague, the Netherlands.
authors: Rita
authors: R
authors: Borg Xuereb
authors: Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.|Kingston University and St George's, University of London, London, UK.
authors: Josianne
authors: J
authors: Scerri
authors: Statistics & Operations Research, Faculty of Science, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
authors: Liberato
authors: L
authors: Camilleri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008319:Malta; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Midwifery; intimate partner violence; screening; survey; violence against women; women's health