title: Cortisol awakening response among women exposed to intimate partner violence.
abstract: The studies of the effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) on the cortisol awakening response (CAR) are scarce and contradictory. While some of the studies suggested that female victims of IPV showed high CAR, other studies found low CAR. Mixed results may be related to differences in sample characteristics as well as other potential covariates associated with the cortisol, as femalés history of abuse, chronicity, severity and type of IPV, psychological distress, posttraumatic stress disorder, and social support. The study examined individual differences in CAR among 149 female victims of severe IPV reported to authorities, including 76 (51%) living in shelter and 73 (49%) living with the abusive partners. Results revealed several individual differences in CAR that may contribute to understanding the mixed results found in literature, including women with cortisol that decreased between the baseline and 30min later, women with no increase of cortisol, and women whose cortisol increased above baseline. Additionally, women without CAR experienced more chronic and severe violence, more psychological distress and PTSD symptoms. However, hierarchical multiple regression indicated that chronic severe violence was the only independent variable that significantly explained 13% of the variance in CAR, even after including all covariates in the model, and adjusting for sociodemographic variables. In conclusion, this study suggests that the HPA axis dysregulation is influenced by chronic severe violence among women victims of IPV.
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sports, University Lusófona of Porto, Rua Augusto Rosa, n° 24, Porto 4000-098, Portugal. Electronic address: ricardo.pinto@ulp.pt.
authors: Ricardo J
authors: RJ
authors: Pinto
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sports, University Lusófona of Porto, Rua Augusto Rosa, n° 24, Porto 4000-098, Portugal.
authors: Patrícia
authors: P
authors: Correia-Santos
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sports, University Lusófona of Porto, Rua Augusto Rosa, n° 24, Porto 4000-098, Portugal.
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Costa-Leite
authors: Psychology Department, Michigan State University, US, Psychology Building 316 Physics Rm 262 East Lansing, MI 48824, United States.
authors: Alytia A
authors: AA
authors: Levendosky
authors: Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sports, University Lusófona of Porto, Rua Augusto Rosa, n° 24, Porto 4000-098, Portugal.
authors: Inês
authors: I
authors: Jongenelen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D007206:Individuality; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Cortisol awakening response; Intimate partner violence; Social support