Index Of Spouse Abuse Research Articles

Impact of intimate partner violence on quality of life and disease activity in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Stress and trauma are psychosocial factors with an impact on the course of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The influence of violence on SLE has not been entirely explored, even though women (including patients with rheumatic diseases) are a vulnerable population to any form of violence. This study aims to assess the prevalence and impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on health-related quality of life in women with SLE. An observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study was conducted at a rheumatology clinic of a university hospital from September 2022 and September 2023. We evaluated the presence of IPV in 85 women with SLE with the Hurt, Insulted, Threatened with Harm and Screamed at (HITS) questionnaire and the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA), and quality of life with LupusQoL. The prevalence by HITS score of past-year IPV was 24.4% and of lifetime IPV was 36.5%. Past-year non-physical violence was present in 17.1% of patients by ISA, and 27.1% were victims in their lifetime. While in physical violence, 7.3% were victims in the previous year and 21.2% in their lifetime. The total quality of life and the emotional domain by LupusQoL were diminished in victims of past-year IPV, compared to those who weren't exposed (p = .018 and p = .036, respectively). Past-year HITS score correlated with the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) (rho = 0.301, p = .006), while lifetime HITS score correlated with PGA (rho = 0.329, p = .002) and SLEDAI-2K (rho = 0.277, p = .010). We found that one in four women suffered IPV in the previous year, and those who were exposed had diminished quality of life. Also, the severity of the abuse correlated with disease activity. Our findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive care for patients with SLE.

Methods and tools to screen and assess risks for intimate partner violence among women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in six high-income countries: A scoping review

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this review is to collate literature on approaches to screening women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds for experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) and assessing risks, with a view to identifying examples of best practice and research gaps. Methods A scoping review methodology was adopted. Medline (Ovid), Embase, CINALH and CENTRAL databases were searched, with supplementary searches for grey literature. Results were independently screened by two reviewers. Studies were included if they focused on women from CaLD backgrounds living in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or United States of America being screened/assessed in a health setting in relation to IPV. Data on study characteristics and key findings were extracted and critical appraisal of study quality was performed. Results A total of n = 1,320 results were yielded. After deduplication, the titles and abstracts of n = 846 studies were screened. A total of n = 5 studies were included in the final analysis, and four screening or risk assessment tools/methods were assessed (Danger Assessment for Immigrant Women, Safe Start, Index of Spouse Abuse and Southern Asian Violence Screen). Conclusions Given the documented barriers to migrant help-seeking, screening and risk assessment has an important role to play in ensuring that women from CaLD backgrounds are linked into appropriate IPV support services in a timely manner. However, there is very limited evidence to demonstrate that existing screening/risk assessment tools and strategies meet the specific needs of CaLD populations, and more attention needs to be given to intersectional experiences of violence.

Trajectories of Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress, and Chronic Pain Among Women Who Have Separated From an Abusive Partner: A Longitudinal Analysis.

This longitudinal study explored changes in women's health after separation from an abusive partner by characterizing the trajectories of their mental health (depression and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) and physical health (chronic pain) over a 4-year period. We examined how the severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) affected these trajectories, controlling for selected baseline factors using 5 waves of data collected from a community sample of 309 English-speaking, Canadian women. IPV severity was measured using the Index of Spouse Abuse where women were asked to consider the entire period of their partner relationship up to present at wave 1 and to rate their IPV experiences in the previous 12 months at waves 2-5. Mental health was measured using established self-report measures of depression (CESD) and PTSD (Davidson Trauma Scale), while chronic pain was measured using the Chronic Pain Grade Scale. Trajectories were estimated using MLM techniques with severity of IPV and selected co-variates (time since separation, age, financial strain) included. Our results show that women's health improved significantly over time, although significant levels of depression, PTSD symptoms and disabling chronic pain remained at the end of wave 5. Regardless of time since separation, more severe IPV was associated with higher levels of depression, PTSD, and disabling chronic pain, with IPV having a stronger effect on these health outcomes over time, suggesting cumulative effects of IPV on health. The results of this study contribute to quantifying the continuing mental and physical health burdens experienced by women after separation from an abusive partner. Increased attention to the long-term effects of violence on women's health beyond the crisis of leaving is critically needed to strengthen health and social services and better support women's recovery and healing.

Propensity score analysis of psychological intimate partner violence and preterm birth

Psychological intimate partner violence (IPV), a global public health problem, affects mothers during pregnancy. We evaluated its relationship with preterm birth. We established a cohort of 779 consecutive mothers receiving antenatal care and giving birth in 15 public hospitals in Spain. Trained midwives collected IPV data using the Index of Spouse Abuse validated in the Spanish language. Preterm was defined as birth before 37 completed weeks of gestation. Gestational age was estimated by early ultrasound. With multivariate logistic regression we estimated the relative association of IPV with preterm birth as adjusted odds ratios (AOR), with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In propensity score analysis, using weighting by inverse probability of exposure to IPV, the whole sample was used for estimating the absolute difference in probability of preterm amongst offspring born to mothers with and without IPV. Socio-demographic and other pregnancy characteristics served as covariates in both analyses. Preterm occurred in 57 (7.3%) pregnancies. Psychological IPV, experienced by 151 (21%) mothers, was associated with preterm birth (11.9% vs 6.5%; AOR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.1–5.0; p = 0.01). The absolute preterm difference in psychological IPV compared to normal was 0.08 (95% CI = 0.01–0.16; p = 0.04). The probability of preterm birth was 8% higher on average in women with psychological IPV during pregnancy. As our analysis controlled for selection bias, our findings give credence to a causal inference. Screening and management for psychological IPV during pregnancy is an important step in antenatal care to prevent preterm birth.

Psychological consequences and daily life adjustment for victims of intimate partner violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a distressing reality worldwide. Victims of IPV usually experience long-term mental health disorders and maladjustments in their daily lives. To examine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder in female victims of IPV that participated in a public mental health care program, and to analyze the relationships between the type of IPV exposure, its psychological consequences, and daily life adjustment. Up to 164 female victims of IPV referred by their primary care doctors to the Adult Mental Health Casntre of Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona) between 2010 and 2016 were evaluated using several tests (Index of Spouse Abuse - ISA, Beck Depression Inventory - BDI-II, Sate-Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI, the Maladjustment Scale - MS, and the Severity Symptom Scale for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - EGS). Of the 164 referred women, 102 (62.2%) agreed to participate (mean age 44.98years, range 19-71) and 73% scored above the cut-off point in the physical IPV dimension (ISA). Moreover, 73% had depression symptoms, 77% trait anxiety, and 87% state anxiety altered scores. Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder was also high (87%). IPV interfered significantly in all the aspects of the daily lives of 92% of the sample. The participants of the study experienced many psychological symptoms and a high level of interference with all aspects of their daily lives. These consequences were of similar magnitude amongst victims of emotional abuse compared to those who suffered physical violence.

Assessing Intimate Partner Violence in South Asian Women Using the Index of Spouse Abuse.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) affects 21-40% of South Asian (SA) women in the United States. No screening tool has been validated in this population. This study sought to determine the validity of the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA) as an IPV screening tool and to determine the prevalence of IPV among a SA immigrant population. Thirty-one percent of women screened positive on one or both ISA scales. The ISA-P and ISA-NP items were highly reliable as was the correlation between the ISA-P and ISA-NP scores. The ISA is a valid and reliable IPV screening tool in the SA immigrant population.

A Validated Screening Instrument for Identifying Intimate Partner Violence in South Asian Immigrant Women.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) for South Asian immigrants is prevalent and has many unique sociodemographic and cultural factors associated with it. Current screening instruments do not address the unique cultural factors associated with IPV in this population. The South Asian Violence Screen (SAVS) is a 14-item screening tool for IPV designed based on the specific demographic and cultural issues affecting South Asian immigrant women in the United States. The tool was validated using the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA), a well-established survey instrument for detecting IPV. The participants in the study included 116 South Asian immigrant women, who were recruited from a medical clinic and two community centers in Chicago, IL. With a prevalence of 23.3% of women reporting physical abuse and 28.4% reporting nonphysical abuse, the negative predictive value of the SAVS compared with the ISA was 0.99 and 0.97 for physical abuse and nonphysical abuse, respectively. When compared with the ISA-physical, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.96 and 0.87, respectively, and when compared with the ISA-nonphysical, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.94 and 0.92, respectively. This study demonstrates that the SAVS is an effective and efficient screening tool in the South Asian immigrant population in Chicago.

Intimate Partner Violence among Ever-married Women Treated for Depression at a Rural Health Center in Bengaluru Urban District.

Background:Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a risk factor for depression among women. Spousal alcoholism and marital quality are associated with both depression and spousal abuse Knowledge about the factors contributing to IPV in depression will enable us to have interventions to address IPV in tandem with treating depression.Objectives:(1) To estimate the prevalence of IPV in women treated for depression in a rural community health-care facility in Bengaluru Urban District. (2) To assess the association between IPV and various other factors in women treated for depression in a rural community health care facility.Methodology:A cross-sectional study was conducted among ever-married women above 18 years, registered under mental health program in the mental health clinic in Mugalur, Karnataka, and currently on treatment for depression. The women who consented were interviewed using structured questionnaires – WHOQOL-BREF, standard of living index, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Index of Spouse Abuse, family interview for genetic studies for reported alcohol use, and marital quality scale.Results:The mean age of the study participants was 49.7 ± 13.2 years. The prevalence of physical IPV and non-physical IPV was found to be 18% and 7%, respectively. Marital quality was significantly lower among women who experienced IPV. Women with husbands who ever used alcohol were found to have six times more risk of experiencing physical IPV, odd ratio 6.193 (1.595, 24.047).Conclusion:Health education, involvement of self-help groups, and awareness programs are required to alleviate IPV.

Associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy, mother-to-infant bonding failure, and postnatal depressive symptoms.

This study examined the associations between intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy, mother-to-infant bonding failure, and postnatal depressive symptoms at 1month postnatal. This study also examined if these relationships would be mediated by antenatal depressive symptoms. This study was a prospective cohort study that investigated effects between the third trimester of pregnancy and 1month after childbirth. The Japanese version of the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA), the Japanese version of the Mother-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS), and the Japanese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to measure IPV during pregnancy, bonding failure with infants, and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the postnatal period respectively. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to find the associations between those four variables. The final path model of the SEM showed good fit with the data. IPV during pregnancy was associated with mother-to-infant bonding failure at 1month postnatal, whereas IPV during pregnancy was not significantly associated with postnatal depressive symptoms at 1month postnatal. In addition, this study demonstrated that the associations between IPV during pregnancy, mother-to-infant bonding failure, and postnatal depressive symptoms at 1month postnatal were mediated by antenatal depressive symptoms. The results of this study indicated the need for interventions for IPV and psychological health care for abused pregnant women to prevent antenatal depressive symptoms in prenatal health settings. Those interventions by perinatal health professionals would help to prevent bonding failure with infants and postnatal depressive symptoms after childbirth.

Validity and Reliability of the Spanish Version of the "Abuse Assessment Screen" among Pregnant Women.

To assess the reliability, accuracy, and construct validity of the SpanishAbuse Assessment Screen (AAS) among pregnant women using the Spanish version of Indexof Spouse Abuse (ISA) as a reference standard. Cross-sectional survey. A total of 1,329 pregnant women were selected in nine primary care centers during 2008-2009. The Spanish ISA was self-administered first, followed by the AAS, administered by the midwife. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the Spanish AAS were compared with the Spanish version of the ISA as a reference standard. Percentage of agreement between initial and retest administration of the Spanish AAS was high, from 96.4% to 100%. Specificity was for all types of abuse above 97%, but sensitivity values were much lower (33.3%, 22.9%, 6.9%, for severe physical abuse, minor psychological abuse, and minor physical abuse, respectively). The sensitivity of severe psychological abuse was perfect. Construct validity was good. The Spanish AAS has good test-retest reliability, specificity, and construct validity. The sensitivity was good for severe psychological abuse and moderate for severe physical abuse. Further formal psychometric evaluations, in other languages from countries with low prevalence of abuse, remains a priority for clinical and research efforts in pregnancy domestic violence screening.

Unintended pregnancy and intimate partner violence around pregnancy in a population-based study.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and unintended pregnancy are public health issues that can affect the health and well-being of women and their children. However, the relationship between IPV and women's ability to control their fertility has not been adequately explored. To investigate the association between unintended pregnancy and emotional or physical violence perpetrated by partners around pregnancy. A population-based study was undertaken, recruiting women (n=779) at the hospital obstetric departments and gathering social and family data. IPV was diagnosed by using the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA). Data were gathered by trained midwives in 15 public hospitals in southern Spain and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. The pregnancy was reported to be unintended by 118 (15.1%) of the study population. Unintended pregnancy was significantly associated with: physical and/or emotional IPV around pregnancy, age, marital status, cohabitation, educational level, and employment status. After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, emotional IPV around pregnancy was significantly associated with an unintended pregnancy (AOR=2.5; 95% CI=1.5-4.3). Being in a non-committed relationship was a risk factor (AOR=3.5; 95% CI=1.8-6.1) and being in employment a protective factor (AOR=0.4; 95% CI=0.2-0.8) for an unintended pregnancy. Women who report an unintended pregnancy may be experiencing emotional IPV. The risk of emotional IPV is higher if women reporting an unintended pregnancy are in a committed relationship, married, or in employment. A better understanding of the relationship between unintended pregnancy and violence can aid midwives about potential reproductive health risk factors associated with abuse.

Intimate partner violence in a group of severe mentally ill women

Due to their importance frequency and quality of intimate partner violence were recorded in a group of 89 severely mentally ill women in an exploratory investigation. With the help of the "Partner Violence Screen" (PVS) and the "Index of Spouse Abuse" (ISA) frequency and severity of intimate partner violence were quantified. Due to data structure nonparametric statistical methods were used for hypothesis testing. The rate of in intimate-partner violence was approximately 67 % in both instruments. Based on the ISA sum-scores intimate partner violence showed associations with lower educational, occupational, and social levels, main-diagnoses of addiction and schizophrenia, longer course of the illness, a higher number of children, and own experience of violence in adolescence. Despite methodological limitations - such as missing control group, highly selected group, and non-involvement of the male partners - the results show the importance of intimate partner violence in severely mentally ill women. The findings presented indicate that intimate partner violence should be taken into consideration in each individual case.

Intimate partner violence against Spanish pregnant women: application of two screening instruments to assess prevalence and associated factors

To investigate the prevalence of intimate partner violence in Spanish women during the 12 months prior to delivery and to identify associated risk factors using two screening instruments. A population-based study. Fifteen public hospitals in southern Spain. A total of 779 women admitted to the hospital obstetrics department. Intimate partner violence was diagnosed with the Abuse Assessment Screen and Index of Spouse Abuse screening instruments. Prevalence and associated risk factors of intimate partner violence during pregnancy. According to the Abuse Assessment Screen, intimate partner violence during the pre-delivery year was experienced by 7.7% of the women, emotional abuse by 4.8%, and physical abuse by 1.7%. According to the Index of Spouse Abuse, non-physical intimate partner violence during this period was reported by 21.0% of the women and physical intimate partner violence by 3.6%. After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, multivariate regression models showed that an uncommitted relationship and absence of kin support were significantly associated with an increased intimate partner violence risk during the pre-delivery year. Employment was a significant protective factor against any of the three forms of intimate partner violence (Abuse Assessment Screen) and physical intimate partner violence (Index of Spouse Abuse) during this period. A high proportion of women in Spain experience intimate partner violence during or just before pregnancy. Pregnant women in an uncommitted relationship or without kin support were at greater risk of intimate partner violence. Screening instruments for intimate partner violence during pregnancy should be evaluated in different cultural contexts.

MAMBRA's Impact on IPV Symptoms of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women

This repeated measures, descriptive study investigated the effect of Music and Account-Making for Behavioral-Related Adaptation (MAMBRA), a group psychoeducation music intervention, on symptoms reported by 41 incarcerated and community women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Psychosocial measurements included: the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; Speilberger State Anxiety Inventory; Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale; the UCLA Loneliness Scale, version 3; and the Index of Spouse Abuse. MAMBRA was administered over four sessions for five groups of women. Through descriptive and univariate statistics, psychosocial measures positively changed across the MAMBRA sessions. These findings suggest MAMBRA impacted IPV symptoms and may be an efficacious intervention. Future longitudinal studies with diverse samples are warranted.

Häusliche Gewalt bei Frauen einer Kriseninterventionspopulation - Formen der Gewalt und Risikofaktoren

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESES: Domestic violence is common and can lead to severe physical and psychological problems. Thus, we have investigated the frequency of occurrence, forms and risk factors of domestic violence against female patients on a crisis intervention ward. 115 women were screened with the "screening spouse violence" (SPG) and the "index of spouse abuse" (ISA). The life time prevalence concerning spouse violence was 70 %. Out of 74 women who were currently living in a relationship 28 (38 % )were victims of violence in the last 12 months prior to their admission. Women who experienced violence had a significantly lower level of education. Screening for domestic violence in female patients in the field of crisis intervention and psychiatry should become a standard of "good clinical practice".

Learned Resourcefulness, Danger in Intimate Partner Relationships, and Mental Health Symptoms of Depression and PTSD in Abused Women

The study investigated the relationships among learned resourcefulness, dangerousness in abusive relationships, and symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of abused sheltered women. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was utilized and 42 women met criteria for participation. Data were collected over a ten-month period from June 2010 to March 2011 using the following instruments: (1) demographic data collection form, (2) Self-Control Schedule (SCS), (3) Danger Assessment (DA), (4) Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA), (5) Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II), and (6) Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS). Results indicated that 74% of the sample reported symptoms of depression and 67% met criteria for PTSD. In addition, there was 62% comorbidity between depression and PTSD. High levels of danger and low levels of resourcefulness were associated with increased symptoms of depression and PTSD. Further research is necessary, but results of the study suggest that resourcefulness may be an important consideration for abused women in reducing the impact of violence and abuse on mental health issues.

Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence, Depressive Symptomatology, and Personality Traits

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and personality disorder symptoms controlling for depressive state. Victims of IPV (n = 176) and non-abused women (n = 193) completed the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Basic Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ), Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). IPV victims scored higher than non-abused women on Intimacy Problems, and scored lower on Rejection traits, after adjustment for depressive symptoms. Severity of the IPV was related to Cognitive Distortion, Suspiciousness, Restricted Expression, and Intimacy Problems, and the length of the IPV was negatively associated with Rejection. The current study suggests only modest differences in personality traits between IPV and non-abused women. The DAPP-BQ traits associated with severity of IPV, in a dose-response manner, would partially reflect the symptoms of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), although this possibility deserves further study.

Race of Interviewer Effect on Disclosures of Suicidal Low-Income African American Women

Few studies have investigated the impact of interviewer race on the results gleaned through psychological assessment. African American and European American clinical evaluators conducted face-to-face interviews with 161 low-income African American women seeking services at an inner-city hospital following a suicide attempt. Participants were administered measures related to various current life stressors, including the Survey for Recent Life Events, which assesses various forms of daily hassles, and the Index of Spouse Abuse, which taps both physical and nonphysical intimate partner violence (IPV). Multivariate analyses of variance revealed a significant difference on the participants’ reports of daily hassles and IPV to African Americanand European American evaluators. With regard to overall life stress, African American women reported higher levels of total life stress, time pressure stress, social acceptability stress, and social victimization to African American than in European American–led interviews. They also endorsed higher levels of both physical and nonphysical IPV to interviewers of the same race as themselves as compared with interviewers from a different racial background. There were no group differences in terms of work stress, sociocultural differences, and finances. The findings underscore the saliency of interviewer race as a source of nonrandom measurement error capable of influencing statistical results. Implications of ignoring race of interviewer effects in analysis are explored and suggestions are offered in terms of culturally responsive assessment processes.

Gender-based violence against women the Aymara ethnic in northern Chile

IntroductionWe analyse the gender-based violence against women considering the Aymara ethnic ascendance as a casual factor. Materials and methodsWe applied the Spanish version of the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA) Scales and Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) on 400 women, who currently live in the region of Arica and Parinacota, Chile. ResultsThe individuals show that non-physical violence is the predominant behaviour in couples and higher rate of violence is present in women with Aymara ancestry than others. ConclusionsWe conclude that social constructions of gender may be a risk factor in violence against women because of its influence in social inequalities and abuses of power against women.

Validación y comparación de cuatro instrumentos para la detección de la violencia de pareja en el ámbito sanitario

Background and objectives To validate four instruments to detect domestic violence in health-care settings against external criteria - Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA), Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory short form (PMWI-SF), Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST), Partner Violence Screen (PVS)- and to assess the concordance and compare the diagnostic accuracy. Subjects and method This was a case-control study. The study sample was recruited from primary care and domestic violence centers. The ISA, PMWI-SF, WAST and PVS were administered to 223 controls and 182 intimate partner violence cases. Received Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was carried out. Measures were compared in terms of ROC curves and overall agreement. Results The areas under the curve (AUC) were: ISA 0.99 (IC 95%, 0.98-0.99), PMWI-SF 0.98 (IC 95% 0.97-0.99), WAST 0.95 (IC 95% 0.93-0.97), PVS 0.91 (IC 95% 0.87-0.94). The overall agreement between the four tools was excellent (Fleiss Kappa = 0.82). The ISA and the PMWI-SF performed slightly better than WAST, and these three instruments performed better than PVS for detecting domestic violence. The PVS had lower concordance values with the other instruments. Conclusions The four instruments demonstrated adequate diagnostic accuracy and overall agreement for detect domestic violence. Some overestimation of sensitivity may occur due to different source of cases.