Intimate Partner Violence Exposure Research Articles

Latent Classes of Bidirectional Face-to-Face and Cyber Intimate Partner Violence Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Emerging Adults: The Role of Minority Stressors.

The rates of intimate partner violence have been found to be higher among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals when compared with heterosexual populations. However, lesser is known about the impact of specific minority stressors experienced by LGB populations on their face-to-face intimate partner violence (IPV) and cyber IPV experiences. Using a three-step latent class approach, the present study investigated (i) the latent classes of self-reported types of face-to-face IPV and cyber IPV perpetration and victimization and (ii) their associations with LGB distal and proximal minority stressors (i.e., vicarious trauma, discrimination, family rejection, and LGB-identity disclosure). Participants were 288 LGB emerging adults in the age range of 18-29years (bisexual: n = 168, gay: n = 72, and lesbian: n = 48). Findings showed the presence of four latent classes, namely, face-to-face IPV (n = 32; 37.5% gay, 18.8% lesbian, and 43.8% bisexual individuals), cyber IPV (n = 66; 33.3% gay, 12.1% lesbian, and 54.5% bisexual individuals), psychological and stalking cyber IPV (n = 89; 15.7% gay, 15.7% lesbian, and 68.5% bisexual individuals), and low IPV (n = 101; 23.8% gay, 19.8% lesbian, and 56.4% bisexual individuals). Furthermore, multinomial logistic regressions indicated that greater exposure to the minority stressors such as exposure to heterosexism, namely, discrimination and harassment, rejection from one's family of origin, and exposure to vicarious trauma, as well as a lower degree of LGB-identity disclosure, largely predicted latent classes with greater probabilities of IPV exposure, namely, cyber IPV, face-to-face IPV classes, and psychological and stalking cyber IPV. Findings suggest the importance of addressing the role of minority stressors in IPV interventions and the creation of competent LGB-related services and training modules for clinicians.

Male Backlash and Female Guilt: Women’s Employment and Intimate Partner Violence in Urban India

This study investigates the relationship between a married woman’s paid work participation and her exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) in urban India. Results show that due to the male backlash channel, women in employment face significantly higher levels of IPV compared to women involved in domestic work only. The study does not find evidence that any autonomy women gain by doing paid work lowers their experience of IPV. Furthermore, this paper contributes to the literature on gender-based violence by introducing and testing for a “female guilt channel” – a phenomenon in which women in paid work justify IPV against them more than those not in paid work – that, in turn, further raises their IPV exposure. The paper finds weak evidence for the guilt channel in the overall sample and stronger evidence among women with intermediate levels of education. HIGHLIGHTS Women in paid work in urban India are more likely to accept intimate partner violence (IPV), as well as experience a higher degree of marital controlling behavior by husbands. Urban women and men with tertiary education are most likely to overcome gendered norms for paid work. IPV is higher among urban women in paid work whose husbands are not employed or earning less. Raising women’s economic opportunities alone may not lead to universally better outcomes for them inside households.

Community-level influences on women’s experience of intimate partner violence and modern contraceptive use in Nigeria: a multilevel analysis of nationally representative survey

Background: Modern contraceptives (MC) are important strategies for reducing unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortion and maternal mortality, but MC remains low at 18% in Nigeria. Similarly, while there is increasing prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Nigeria, its effects on contraceptive use remain unclear. This study examined the influence of IPV on MC use, while adjusting for individual- and community-level confounders. Methods : The study utilized 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data. We performed multilevel binary logistic regression analysis on 24,973 married women aged 15-49 49 (nested within 1,400 communities), who were sexually active and were not pregnant at the time of the survey. Results : Findings show that use of MC was higher among married women who reported experience of IPV than those without IPV exposure. After adjusting for individual-level and contextual factors, the odds of using MC was significantly higher among women who experienced any form of IPV (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.17-2.21, p<0.005) compared to those who reported no IPV experience. Around one-quarter of the total variance in contraceptive use with respect to the different types of IPV could be explained at the community level. Conclusion : The study provides empirical evidence that there is significant community effect on IPV exposure and women’s contraceptive uptake. Attention must therefore be given to the context-specific social and gender norms that affect women’s sexual and reproductive health in Nigeria.

Intimate partner violence as a predictor of antenatal care services utilization in Rwanda

BackgroundAlthough compelling evidence shows that exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is detrimental to both physical and mental health of the victims and their fetuses, studies on negative impact of IPV on antenatal care (ANC) services utilization are scarce.MethodsThe aim of the current study was to determine the impact of IPV exposure on ANC services utilization indicators such as (i) initiation of care within the first 3 months of pregnancy, (ii) receipt of at least four ANC visits and (iii) receipt of care from skilled providers among reproductive age women in Rwanda. This study used the data from the 2014–15 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the effects of physical and sexual IPV on the ANC services utilization indicators.ResultsAmong married women living with their partners with at least one child aged 5 years or under (N = 5116), 17% of them reported physical violence, 22.8% reported psychological violence and 9.2% reported sexual violence. We found that there was a significant negative relationship between physical IPV and both early ANC and sufficient ANC. Women who had experienced physical violence by their partners during the preceding 12 months were less likely to receive more than four ANC visits, (O.R = 0.61, CI = 0.417–0.908) and they were less likely to attend the first ANC visits within the first 3 months (O.R = 0.656, CI = 0.445–0.967).ConclusionIn this study, the prevalence of IPV still remains high and there is evidence that it does have significant impact on ANC. Therefore, the results provide support for continued efforts to reduce intimate partner violence, through the improvement of screening for IPV during ANC visits.

Perpetration of intimate partner violence and guilt: the role of parenting status

A paucity of research addresses individual differences in the experience of moral emotions (e.g., guilt) related to one’s intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Because IPV exposure negatively impacts children, we examined whether IPV perpetration is differentially associated with guilt for parents and non-parents. We conducted multilevel regression analyses among 103 individuals from 52 heterosexual community couples. Parent status moderated the association, such that non-parents reported greater overall, state, and trait guilt in association with greater IPV perpetration whereas parents did not. Parent status did not moderate the relations between IPV victimization and guilt, suggesting that this result is specific to perpetration. We further observed differences with regard to emotion regulation, such that parents had greater difficulty attending to their emotions. Parents may exhibit muted guilt in relation to their perpetration, potentially due to difficulty attending to their emotions. Because guilt in relation to IPV perpetration is a relatively new area of study, research is needed to further elucidate the mechanisms and directionality of this relationship. Current findings suggest that emotion regulation strategies that foster healthy processing of guilt may be important considerations for IPV prevention and intervention research, particularly those that address vulnerability for IPV during the transition to parenthood.

Intimate Partner Violence Exposure and Adolescent Mental Health Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Housing Insecurity.

The present study investigated pathways from childhood exposure to mothers' intimate partner violence (IPV) to adolescent depression and anxiety. Further, the study examined whether housing insecurity mediated the link from IPV exposure to mental health outcomes. Data came from the Years 5, 9 and 15 interviews of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study; the analytic sample was limited to mothers with at least partial custody of children (N = 2,425). Structural equation modeling with latent variables investigated research questions. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) identified observed indicators for latent constructs, and a path analysis tested direct and indirect pathways from IPV exposure to adolescent depression and anxiety. IPV exposure at age five was associated with increased housing insecurity at age nine, which was associated with increased adolescent depression and anxiety at age 15. Although IPV exposure was not directly associated with either mental health outcome, housing insecurity mediated the link from IPV exposure to adolescent depression. Findings point to the long-term consequences of exposure to intimate partner violence in childhood, highlighting pathways to mental disorder in adolescence. The present study emphasizes the need for policies that protect survivors of IPV from eviction and homelessness, empower them to leave abusers without fear of losing their housing, and promote healthy child development in the wake of family violence.

Preschoolers’ Intimate Partner Violence Exposure and Their Speeded Control Abilities Eight Years Later: A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis

Executive functioning (EF), or a set of related cognitive skills that facilitate goal-oriented behavior, is a critical aspect of adaptive development. Mounting research indicates that exposure to environmental threats during the preschool years jeopardizes EF; however, the extent and mechanisms through which early exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) influences children's EF are unknown. Using data from an eight-year longitudinal investigation of mothers who had experienced IPV and their preschool-aged children (N = 120), this study examined the relative influence of recent and remote IPV exposure on speeded control-a component of EF influenced by processing speed-in late childhood. Results indicated that preschoolers' IPV exposure had a significant negative impact on their speeded control eight years later, and this relation was mediated by the remote effects of IPV on their mothers. Specifically, IPV was positively associated with maternal depression, which in turn contributed to greater use of negative parenting strategies when children were of preschool age. Children's IPV exposure during late childhood was not predictive of their concurrent speeded control. These findings lend further evidence to the notion that the preschool years are a sensitive period for the mastery of EF skills and that IPV exposure is a distinct risk factor that can have protracted effects on children's cognitive development. Further, this study points to modifiable environmental risk factors, which, through targeted prevention and intervention efforts, could promote EF across the lifespan.

Intimate Partner Violence and Adult Asthma Morbidity: A Population-Based Study

The etiologies for difficult-to-control asthma are complex and incompletely understood. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive problem and may play a role in difficult-to-control asthma. IPV is associated with increased prevalence of asthma. There are no prior studies evaluating IPV's association with adult asthma exacerbations. This study hypothesized that IPV exposure would be associated with increased asthma exacerbations, higher symptom burden, and poorer asthma control among adults. Analyses are based on 2634 adults who participated in the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, reported active asthma, and completed the asthma and IPV questions. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine the association of IPV with asthma morbidity outcomes while controlling for the following potential confounders: sex, race, education, health care coverage, smoking status, age, and body mass index. The prevalence of IPV was 32.4%. IPV was associated with increased odds of an asthma exacerbation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]= 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.26-2.43), higher symptom burden (AOR= 2.33, 95% CI= 1.53-3.55), and lack of asthma control (AOR= 2.23, 95% CI= 1.22-4.09) when using composite measures for these outcomes. When using single-item measures for outcomes, IPV was also associated with increased asthma-related emergency department or urgent care visits (AOR= 2.35, 95% CI= 1.56-3.54), other urgent provider visits(AOR= 1.84, 95% CI= 1.28-2.64), perceived asthma attacks (AOR= 1.53, 95% CI= 1.12-2.09), limitations (AOR= 2.07, 95% CI= 1.49-2.89), daytime symptoms (AOR= 1.92, 95% CI= 1.35-2.72), and nocturnal awakenings (AOR= 1.88, 95% CI= 1.32-2.69). IPV is prevalent in adult asthmatics and consistently and significantly associated with worsened adult asthma morbidity, even after adjusting for key confounders. Further research is needed to more fully understand the mechanisms underlying these relationships.

Community-level influences on women’s experience of intimate partner violence and modern contraceptive use in Nigeria: a multilevel analysis of nationally representative survey

Background: Modern contraceptives (MC) are important strategies for reducing unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortion and maternal mortality, but MC remains low at 18% in Nigeria. Similarly, while there is increasing prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Nigeria, its effects on contraceptive use remain unclear. This study examined the influence of IPV on MC use, while adjusting for individual- and community-level confounders. Methods: The study utilized 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data. We performed multilevel binary logistic regression analysis on 24,973 married women aged 15-49, who were sexually active and were not pregnant at the time of the survey. Results: Findings show that use of MC was higher among married women who reported experience of IPV than those without IPV exposure. After adjusting for individual-level and contextual factors, the odds of using MC was significantly higher among women who experienced any form of IPV (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.17-2.21, p<0.005) compared to those who reported no IPV experience. Around one-quarter of the total variance in contraceptive use with respect to the different types of IPV could be explained at the community level. Conclusion: The study provides empirical evidence that there is significant community effect on IPV exposure and women’s contraceptive uptake. Attention must therefore be given to the context-specific social and gender norms that affect women’s sexual and reproductive health in Nigeria.

Responding to intimate partner violence (IPV) in Ontario, Canada: A closer look at police involvement

Over the past 20 years, Ontario child welfare agencies have seen an exponential increase in referrals for exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) for children. Using a mixed methods approach, this paper examines the causes and consequences of the exponential increase in the incidence rates of IPV exposure between 1993 and 2013, providing important context for a maltreatment type that is not well understood in Ontario. The incidence of investigations related to IPV was derived and compared across cycles of the provincially representative Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (OIS) (1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013) and informational interviews were conducted with the primary referral source of IPV-related investigations, police departments, to understand the increase in referrals. Short term service dispositions were also compared across cycles. After the nearly two-fold increase of investigations for all maltreatment types in Ontario between 1998 and 2003, IPV investigations are the only type of maltreatment that continued to increase. In 2013, IPV was the most investigated and substantiated form of maltreatment, without a corresponding increase in the number of cases receiving ongoing services. The continued growth in the proportion of child welfare investigations for exposure to IPV that do not receive ongoing child protection services is a significant concern for Ontario. Intersystem collaboration between police, child welfare, and community services is needed to reduce repeated re-referrals and meet the needs of families experiencing IPV.

Treating attention problems in children exposed to intimate partner violence: Evaluating the Preschool Kids’ Club

Childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) increases risk for symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity, and yet no known evaluations of interventions for IPV-exposed children have demonstrated effectiveness in treating their attention problems. This study examined the utility of the Preschool Kids’ Club (PKC), a treatment program tailored to the needs of preschool-aged children whose mothers had experienced IPV, in reducing children’s attention problems during this critical developmental period. Participants (N = 120) were preschool-aged children who, with their mothers, participated in an eight-year randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the PKC. Longitudinal multi-level modeling was used to evaluate the main effect of intervention participation on children’s attention problems, as well as moderating effects of IPV exposure and maternal depression. Although there was no main effect of intervention participation, children’s outcomes were moderated by IPV exposure. Specifically, among children exposed to high levels of IPV, symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity were significantly lower for intervention participants than children in the control group one year post-intervention. These improvements were not sustained in the eight-year follow-up. Results provide support for the use of trauma-specific interventions for children exhibiting attention problems following exposure to high levels of IPV. However, more comprehensive and long-term treatment may be necessary to promote enduring change.

Associations of forms of intimate partner violence with low birth weight in India: findings from a population-based Survey

Background Many studies report a significant association between a lifetime measure of intimate partner violence (IPV) and low birth weight (LBW) in low-income and economically developed countries. However, it remains relatively unclear how different forms of IPV affect LBW in low-income countries. This study examines the associations of various forms of IPV with two measures of birth outcomes - LBW and birth weight in India. Methods This study used the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) 2015–2016 data of India. The analysis included 11,423 women aged 15–49 years. Using both logistic and linear regression analyses, we assessed the associations of various forms of IPV with binary and continuous measures of birth weight. The analysis controlled for several potential covariates. Results In fully-adjusted regression models, women who experienced any IPV, compared to those who had not experienced any IPV, were 1.19 times (95% CI: 1.02–1.37) as likely to give birth to an LBW baby. Compared to those who had not experienced any physical violence (PV), women who experienced any PV were 1.16 times (95% CI: 1.00–1.35) as likely to have an LBW baby. Moreover, compared to those who had not experienced any emotional violence (EV), women who experienced any EV were 1.29 times (95% CI: 1.06–1.56) as likely to have LBW babies. Linear regression analysis found that any IPV exposure was associated with a significant decrease in birth weight in the fully-adjusted model (b = −32.39; 95% CI: −63.39 to −1.73). Further, experience of any PV (b = −28.40; 95% CI: −60.13 to 3.36) and any EV (b = −51.69; 95% CI: −93.97 to −9.42) appear to be negatively associated with a continuous measure of birth weight. Conclusion Findings have implications for public health policies and interventions that protect women from exposure to intimate partner violence for ensuring better maternal health and birth outcomes.

Attitudinal Acceptance of Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health Outcomes for Female Survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa.

While current literature evidences a strong association between gender-based violence exposure and adverse mental health outcomes, few studies have explored how attitudinal acceptance of intimate partner violence (IPV) might impact this relationship. This analysis employed data from 13–24-year-old females as part of the Violence Against Children Surveys in Nigeria, Uganda, and Malawi. Mental health status, defined by the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress, and suicide ideation served as outcome measures. Predictors of interest included lifetime experiences of IPV and attitudinal acceptance of IPV. Country-stratified logistic and ordinary least squares regressions were used to predict outcomes and included interactions between violence exposure and attitudinal acceptance of IPV. Violence exposure was associated with increased symptoms of mental distress and increased suicide ideation in all countries. Among those who experienced IPV, exhibiting attitudinal acceptance of IPV was associated with improved mental health in Nigeria and Malawi. IPV tolerance conferred lower odds of suicide ideation following IPV exposure in Nigeria. The findings suggest that programs aiming to reduce attitudinal acceptance of IPV must consider how these changes may interact with women’s exposure to IPV.

Intimate Partner Violence and Parenting: Examining the Roles of Parenting Stress, Timing, and Maternal Abuse History

Maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure has been linked to negative parenting outcomes. Studies suggest that parenting stress is an intermediary between IPV exposure and parenting, though past work has relied on small, clinically- referred samples. Moreover, it is unclear if parenting is differentially affected by a mother’s recent versus past history of IPV exposure, or whether a mother’s childhood abuse history moderates the associations of IPV with parenting stress and parenting behaviors. The current study examines whether recent IPV, versus past IPV, has stronger associations with parenting stress and parenting behaviors and tests whether maternal abuse history moderates these associations. Using structural equation modeling, we tested relations between IPV (frequency and recency), parenting stress, and parenting behaviors cross-sectionally and longitudinally in a large community sample of IPV-exposed low-income Hispanic and African American mothers of children aged 0–14 years (N = 1159). We found that mothers who reported IPV exposure in the past year reported higher negative and lower positive parenting behaviors than mothers who reported less recent exposure. Further, we found that the frequency and timing of IPV exposure affected parenting indirectly through increased parenting stress. However, a childhood history of abuse did not appear to sensitize women to these effects. These findings suggest that psychological interventions aimed at reducing the subjective experience of parenting stress, as well as increased access to resources that reduce objective childcare burden, are important for promoting resilience among families exposed to violence.

Intimate partner violence and child outcomes at age 10: a pregnancy cohort

ObjectiveAssess the mental health, physical health, cognitive and language development of 10-year old children in families where mothers have reported intimate partner violence (IPV) compared with children with no reported...

Adverse perinatal outcomes of intimate partner violence during pregnancy

Purpose This study aims to conduct to determine the adverse perinatal outcomes of intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy in Kurdistan, Iran. Design/methodology/approach In a prospective cohort study, 1,080 pregnant women were categorized into 433 and 647 women, respectively, exposed and unexposed to IPV followed by 48 h post-delivery. The values of incidence rate, relative risk and corresponding 95% confidence interval were calculated for interesting outcomes. Findings There was a statistically significant association between IPV exposure during pregnancy and perinatal mortality, pre-term birth (PTB), intra uterine growth restriction (IUGR), premature rupture of membranes (PROM), placental abruption and low birth weight (LBW). Social implications Iran is a developing country with a mosaic of different ethnicities and cultures. It seems that the less developed regions of Iran, such as Kurdistan, are also culturally different from most other regions of Iran. Based on a systematic review study, the prevalence of domestic violence is estimated to be 66% (CI 95%: 55–77) in the general population of Iran. This value was 75% (CI 95%: 56–94) in western Iran, the geographic area of the study, and higher than other parts of the country. IPV during pregnancy can result in many adverse outcomes for mothers and children. Originality/value According to the results of this study, the occurrence of prenatal mortality, PTB, IUGR, PROM, placental abruption and LBW was significantly higher in pregnant women exposed to IPV during pregnancy compared with unexposed women. Strategies such as training the skills needed for health system staff to identify female victims of violence, counseling, treatment and referral to related specialized centers are suggested.

The co-occurrence of intimate partner violence exposure with other victimizations: A nationally representative survey of Chilean adolescents

BackgroundPrevious studies have found a high co-occurrence between Intimate Partner Violence exposure (IPVe) and other forms of victimization, such as physical and sexual abuse, yet little is known about this issue from community samples in Latin America or –in particular– Chile. ObjectiveTo examine the prevalence, sociodemographic correlates and co-occurrence of IPVe with other youth victimizations in Chile. Participants and settingA secondary data analysis of the First Poly-victimization Survey in Children and Adolescents in Chile was conducted, which had 19,684 responses from 7th to 11th grade students attending publicly-funded, subsidized and independent schools in urban areas across the country. MethodsThe Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire was applied, and sociodemographic information was collected. Multiple logistic regression models were used. ResultsThe prevalence of lifetime IPVe was 13.0 % (95 % CI [12.4–13.6]), and 3.6 % (95 % CI [3.4–4.0]) for past-year IPVe. The factors that were positively associated with lifetime IPVe were: female, over 14 years old, indigenous ethnicity, with a disability, mother with immigrant status, living with only one parent, and attending publicly-funded and subsidized schools. Most of these associations were maintained for past-year IPVe. All victimizations studied were positively associated with lifetime and past-year IPVe. Poly-victimization, maltreatment and witnessing sibling abuse showed the strongest associations (adjusted OR > 4.0). Co-occurrence was particularly high among IPVe youth, especially for community violence (86.2 %) and any maltreatment (81.5 %) in lifetime reports. ConclusionsAn integrated approach to assessing IPVe and other forms of victimizations would enrich research and clinical practice, especially early detection of IPVe occurrences.

Social norms and the association between intimate partner violence and depression in rural Bangladesh-a multilevel analysis.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is highly prevalent globally and associated with adverse mental health outcomes among women. In IPV-endemic contexts like Bangladesh, previous research has found no association between low levels of IPV and depression. Although IPV and attitudes justifying IPV against women are highly prevalent in this context, nothing is known about how related contextual norms affect associations between individual-level IPV exposure and depression. The present study examines if village-level IPV norms, characterized using village-level (Level 2) prevalence of a) IPV-justifying attitudes (injunctive norms) and b) physical IPV (descriptive norms), modifies the individual-level (Level 1) associations between the severity of recent IPV and major depressive episode (MDE) among women in rural Bangladesh. Data were drawn from a nationally-representative sample consisting of 3290 women from 77 villages. Multilevel models tested cross-level interactions between village-level IPV norms and recently experienced individual-level IPV on the association with past 30-day MDE. The prevalence of IPV was 44.4% (range: 9.6-76.2% across villages) and attitudes justifying IPV ranged from 1.6% to 49.8% across villages. The prevalence of MDE was 16.8%. The risk of MDE at low levels of IPV severity (versus none) was greater in villages with the least tolerant attitudes toward IPV compared to villages where IPV was more normative, e.g., interaction RR = 1.42 (95% CI: 0.64, 3.15) for low physical IPV frequency and injunctive norms. The association between IPV and depression may be modified by contextual-level IPV norms, whereby it is exacerbated in low-normative contexts.

Intimate Partner Violence Before Pregnancy, During Pregnancy, and After Childbirth: A New Conceptualization Highlighting Individual Changes in Violence Against Pregnant Women Over Time.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against pregnant women is a global public health problem. Yet, the trajectory of IPV during pregnancy and its association with health are unclear. This study set out to investigate the trajectory of IPV by categorizing pregnant women according to changes of IPV exposure before, during, and after pregnancy and to examine the predictive factors of these IPV-related categories. During 2016 and 2017, we conducted a longitudinal study with a sample of 1,083 pregnant women in Hong Kong. Pregnant women reported their IPV experiences, depression, and demographics in the baseline survey (at about 24-week gestation), and their IPV experiences, mental health outcomes, social support, and perceived father's involvement in the follow-up survey (around 4 weeks postpartum). We categorized pregnant women into four groups, including women with (a) sustaining abusive relationship (AR); (b) relationship with decreased violence over pregnancy (DVR); (c) relationship with stress-related violence (SVR); and (d) nonviolent relationship (NVR). Although we found an overall decline of IPV during pregnancy from 24.6% to 14.3%, there were still a considerable proportion of women reporting as a victim of IPV. We observed that a higher proportion of pregnant women were actually suffering from IPV during pregnancy and after childbirth continuously (22.3% of AR and SVR) than experiencing a termination of IPV due to pregnancy (11.4% of DVR). We also observed that more severe maternal depression, lower levels of father's involvement, and poorer social support were significantly associated with the categories that reflected greater severity of IPV over the course of pregnancy. Our findings reflected that the complexity of IPV related to pregnancy should never be overlooked. Mere reporting of prevalence in an aggregate might not sufficiently explain the problem. Father's involvement and social support are two important factors that might help reduce IPV related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Feelings and feedings: Psychopathology and breastfeeding attitudes in women with a history of intimate partner violence.

Objective: Breastfeeding has myriad benefits for mother-child dyads, but women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are less likely to sustain breastfeeding. Prior studies, however, have not analyzed mothers' breastfeeding attitudes in relation to breastfeeding behavior, IPV, and psychopathology. Further, little research has examined distinctive effects of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depression on breastfeeding behaviors and attitudes in IPV-exposed women. This study examines breastfeeding attitudes, psychopathology, and IPV as predictors of breastfeeding continuation, the prospective role of IPV for psychopathology and breastfeeding attitudes, and reciprocal relations among psychopathology and breastfeeding attitudes. Method: The current study includes a longitudinal sample of women (N = 83) recruited from a low-income clinic. Eligibility criteria included: pregnant and over age 18 at baseline. Data were collected during pregnancy and at 6 weeks and 4 months postpartum. Participants reported on psychopathology, IPV exposure, and breastfeeding behaviors and attitudes through prenatal interviews and postpartum surveys. Hypotheses were tested using cross-lagged models. Results: IPV, psychopathology, and breastfeeding attitudes were not related to breastfeeding continuation at 4 months postpartum. PTSS (β = .76, p < .001) and breastfeeding attitudes (β = -.19, p < .05) at 6 weeks postpartum predicted PTSS at 4 months, but not subsequent breastfeeding attitudes. Depression at 6 weeks postpartum predicted depression (β = .63, p < .001) and breastfeeding attitudes (β = -.48, p < .001) at 4 months postpartum. IPV was not significant in any model. Conclusions: Although depression severity was not associated with breastfeeding cessation, it was associated with less positive attitudes about breastfeeding, suggesting lactation supports may benefit from content addressing mothers' mental health needs and emotional experiences nursing newborns. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).