Past-year intimate partner violence perpetration among people with and without depression: an individual participant data (IPD) meta-mediation analysis

Katherine R K Saunders,Sabine Landau,Louise M Howard,Helen L Fisher,Louise Arseneault,Geraldine F H Mcleod,Sian Oram

doi:10.1007/s00127-021-02183-w

Abstract

PurposeTo investigate whether (1) depression is associated with increased risk of past-year intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, disaggregated by sex, after controlling for potential confounders; (2) observed associations are mediated by alcohol misuse or past-year IPV victimisation.MethodsSystematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-mediation analysis of general population surveys of participants aged 16 years or older, that were conducted in a high-income country setting, and measured mental disorder and IPV perpetration in the last 12 months.ResultsFour datasets contributed to meta-mediation analyses, with a combined sample of 12,679 participants. Depression was associated with a 7.4% and 4.8% proportion increase of past-year physical IPV perpetration among women and men, respectively. We found no evidence of mediation by alcohol misuse. Among women, past-year IPV victimisation mediated 45% of the total effect of depression on past-year IPV perpetration. Past-year severe IPV victimisation mediated 60% of the total effect of depression on past-year severe IPV perpetration. We could not investigate IPV victimisation as a mediator among men due to perfect prediction.ConclusionsMental health services, criminal justice services, and domestic violence perpetrator programmes should be aware that depression is associated with increased risk of IPV perpetration. Interventions to reduce IPV victimisation might help prevent IPV perpetration by women. Data collection on mental disorder and IPV perpetration should be strengthened in future population-based surveys, with greater consistency of data collection across surveys, as only four studies were able to contribute to the meta-mediation analysis.

Highlights

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most commonly experienced form of violence worldwide [1], with adverse impacts for the health and wellbeing of victims, including children exposed to this form of abuse [2]
Evidence of a positive association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration was reported in a systematic review of cohort and case–control studies, some studies did not control for the presence of comorbid conduct disorder or antisocial personality disorder and the results were not disaggregated by sex [6]
Two datasets could not be included due to data not being shareable. Data on both depression and physical IPV perpetration were available for a combined sample of 20,119 participants across five datasets

Summary

Introduction

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most commonly experienced form of violence worldwide [1], with adverse impacts for the health and wellbeing of victims, including children exposed to this form of abuse [2]. More research is needed to investigate associations between mental disorder and IPV perpetration independent of confounders and to explore possible mechanisms, including the potentially mediating roles of substance misuse and of IPV victimisation. Due to a lack of data on recent IPV perpetration, the review drew a few conclusions about whether a contemporaneous association exists between mental disorder and IPV perpetration. It could not account for potential confounders of the observed associations. A population-based, sibling-controlled longitudinal study found increased risks of IPV perpetration among people with substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia-spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with the schizophrenia-spectrum disorder link apparently confounded by familial factors [3]. Evidence of a positive association between ADHD and IPV perpetration was reported in a systematic review of cohort and case–control studies, some studies did not control for the presence of comorbid conduct disorder or antisocial personality disorder and the results were not disaggregated by sex [6]

Methods

Results

Conclusion