Measures Of Intimate Partner Violence Research Articles

Predicting Shelter Residence in Women Experiencing Recent Intimate Partner Violence

This study sought to determine factors associated with shelter residence in women with recent histories of intimate partner violence (IPV). The sample included 113 women, approximately half of whom resided in a shelter over the past year. Participating women provided demographic information and completed standardized measures of IPV, trauma, and depression. Ethnicity, income, housing stability, and mental health, but not violence exposure, differentiated the shelter and community groups. Trauma symptoms, housing instability, and ethnicity best predicted shelter residence. Future research should focus on determining what types of services and interventions will best address the unique needs of each population.

Measuring the effectiveness of an intensive IPV training program offered to Greek general practitioners and residents of general practice

BackgroundThe need for effective training of primary care physicians in the prevention, detection and handling of intimate partner violence (IPV) has been widely acknowledged, given its frequency in daily practice. The current intervention study aimed to measure changes in the actual IPV knowledge, perceived knowledge, perceived preparedness and detection ability of practicing general practitioners (GPs) and general practice residents, following an intensive IPV training program.MethodsA pre/post-test design with a control group was employed to compare changes in baseline measures of IPV at the post intervention stage and at 12 months. A total of 40 participants provided full data; 25 GPs (11 in the intervention and 14 in the control) and 15 residents (intervention only). Three scales of the PREMIS survey were used to draw information on the study outcomes.ResultsThe training program met high acceptance by both groups of participants and high practicality in clinical practice. The GPs in the intervention group performed better than the GPs in the control group on “Perceived preparedness” and “Perceived knowledge” in both the post-intervention (p = .012, r = .50 and p = .001, r = .68) and the 12-month follow-up (p = .024, r = .45 and p = .007, r = .54) as well as better than the residents in “Perceived preparedness” at post-intervention level (p = .037, r = .41). Residents on the other hand, performed better than the GPs in the intervention group on “Actual knowledge” at the 12-month follow-up (p = .012, r = .49). No significant improvements or between group differences were found in terms of the self-reported detection of IPV cases.ConclusionFurther studies are needed to decide whether residency training could serve as an early intervention stage for IPV training.

Validity Concerns in the Measurement of Women’s and Men’s Report of Intimate Partner Violence

The measurement of intimate partner violence (IPV) has proven to be more complex than originally anticipated and content and construct validity need to be greatly improved for IPV assessment. For measurement of IPV in the United States, these validity issues range from providing the most accurate wording for the content domain to controversies as to when violent actions are counted (e.g., self-defense) or whether to include mild aggression (e.g., psychological conflict tactics) that may be more normative and not harmful. The three major forms of IPV (i.e., physical, sexual, and psychological abuse) have distinct validity issues and may require different modalities for assessment. Gender needs to be considered when establishing construct validity due to differences in the meaning of aggression, impacts of abuse, and even patterns of violence for women and men. External threats to validity include potential bias of self-report and motivations when reporting on a partner, discrepancies in couples’ reports, the influence of response styles, and design issues affecting reporting. Traditional methods used to establish validity for IPV scales are reviewed and critiqued. Recommendations for enhancing validity in IPV assessment are provided.

Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence Revictimization: The Relative Impact of Distinct PTSD Symptoms, Dissociation, and Coping Strategies

Psychological distress and coping strategies following intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization may impact survivors' risk for future IPV. The current study prospectively examined the impact of distinct posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters (reexperiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal), dissociation, and coping strategies (engagement and disengagement coping) on IPV revictimization among recently abused women. Women (N = 69) who were seeking services for IPV and experienced their most recent episode of physical IPV between 2 weeks and 6 months prior to study enrollment completed measures of physical IPV, psychological distress, and coping strategies at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. The women averaged 36 years of age and 67% of the sample was African American. Separate Poisson regression analyses revealed that PTSD hyperarousal symptoms, dissociation, engagement coping, and disengagement coping each significantly predicted physical IPV revictimization at the 6-month follow-up (with effect sizes ranging from a 1.20-1.34 increase in the likelihood of Time 2 physical IPV with a 1 SD increase in the predictor). When these significant predictors were examined together in a single Poisson regression model, only engagement and disengagement coping were found to predict physical IPV revictimization such that disengagement coping was associated with higher revictimization risk (1.29 increase in the likelihood of Time 2 physical IPV with one SD increase in disengagement coping) and engagement coping was associated with lower revictimization risk (1.30 decrease in the likelihood of Time 2 physical IPV with one SD increase in engagement coping). The current findings suggest that coping strategies are important and potentially malleable predictors of physical IPV revictimization.

Exposure to Maternal- and Paternal-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence, Emotion Regulation, and Child Outcomes

The current study examined the relationship of maternal- and paternal-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) to children’s internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. Mother-child dyads (N = 53; child ages 8–11) reported maternal- and paternal-perpetrated IPV exposure and measures of child symptomatology. Results demonstrated that: (a) maternal- and paternal-perpetrated IPV have similar but not identical relations with child outcomes, (b) mothers’ and children’s reports of paternal-perpetrated IPV were positively related, (c) mother and child report of maternal- and paternal-perpetrated IPV related to child emotional and behavior problems, and (d) emotion dysregulation mediated the link between IPV exposure and child outcomes. Notably, findings differed by reporters. Results support emotion dysregulation as one mechanism through which IPV exposure may lead to child behavior problems, with implications for clinical intervention.

Reciprocal pathways between intimate partner violence and sleep in men and women.

Toward explicating associations and directionality of effects between relationship processes and a fundamental facet of health, we examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between the perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) and men and women's sleep. During two assessments, a diverse community sample of couples reported on their perpetrated acts of psychological and physical IPV and their sleep quality. Cross-sectional associations between IPV and sleep were evident for both partners, in particular between psychological IPV and sleep. A dyadic path analysis controlling for the autoregressive effects and within-time correlations revealed longitudinal links between men's perpetration of IPV and their sleep quality. Even though high levels of stability in all IPV and sleep measures were observed over time, results indicated that sleep problems predicted increases in the perpetration of psychological IPV over time for both men and women. Cross-partner effects emerged for men, revealing that men's sleep problems were strongly affected by their partner's earlier perpetration of IPV and sleep difficulties. Findings illustrate the significance of contemporaneous, dyadic assessments of relationship processes and sleep for a better understanding of both facets of adaptation, and have implications for those wishing to understand the etiology and consequences of the perpetration of IPV for both men and women.

Intimate Partner Violence and Patterns of Alcohol Abuse and Dependence Criteria Among Women: A Latent Class Analysis

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health issue, yet little is known about the association between IPV victimization and problem drinking among women. Study objectives were to (a) identify subtypes of problem drinking among women according to abuse and dependence criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV); (b) examine the association between recent IPV and the problem drinking classes; and (c) evaluate major depressive disorder (MDD) as a mediator of the IPV-alcohol relationship. Data come from a cohort of 11,782 female current drinkers participating in Wave 2 (2004-2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Latent class analysis was used to group participants into problem drinking classes according to 11 DSM-IV abuse and dependence criteria. The IPV measure was derived from six questions regarding abusive behaviors perpetrated by a romantic partner in the past year. Past-year MDD was assessed according to DSM-IV criteria. Latent class regression was used to test the association between drinking class and IPV. Three classes of problem drinkers were identified: Severe (Class 1: 1.9%; n = 224), moderate (Class 2: 14.2%; n = 1,676), and nonsymptomatic (Class 3: 83.9%; n = 9,882). Past-year IPV was associated with severe and moderate classes (severe: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 5.70, 95% CI [3.70, 8.77]; moderate: aOR = 1.92, 95% CI [1.43, 2.57]). Past-year MDD was a possible mediator of the IPV-drinking class relationship. Results indicate a strong association between recent IPV and problem drinking class membership. This study offers preliminary evidence that programs aimed at preventing problem drinking among women should take IPV and MDD into consideration.

Couple-level analysis of the relation between family-of-origin aggression and intimate partner violence.

Objectives: Using the actor-partner interdependence model (Kenny, 1996), the current study is the first to examine: (1) the relation among 4 forms of family-of-origin aggression (FOA), namely, father-to-mother, mother-to-father, father-to-child, and mother-to-child aggression, and subsequent experience with physical intimate partner violence (IPV) at the couple level; and (2) the gender-specific intergenerational transmission hypothesis. Method: A representative sample of 453 married or cohabiting heterosexual couples from the U.S. northeast completed self-report measures of IPV and FOA as part of a larger study on family and relationship violence. Results: Although both individuals’ (respondent effects) and partners’ (partner effects) FOA histories generally predicted physical IPV victimization and perpetration, dual-FOA couples were not at increased risk for IPV. Respondents’ interparental and partners’ parent-to-child aggression experiences were most predictive of IPV. Gender-specific transmission of aggression across generations was only partially supported. Last, motherto-child aggression was a significant predictor in 3 of the 4 models. Conclusions: Findings support the intergenerational transmission of aggression (Widom, 1989) and social learning/cognitive (Bandura, 1977, 1997) theories, and suggest that both partners’ IPV and FOA (which often includes multitype maltreatment) experiences should be assessed and considered when developing prevention and treatment programs. Violence prevention parent training programs are also discussed.

Prevalence of Physical Violence in Intimate Relationships, Part 1: Rates of Male and Female Victimization

Physical violence in intimate relationships affects men, women, and families worldwide. Although the body of research examining the experiences of male victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) has grown, there have been few attempts to synthesize, compare, and contrast findings regarding the prevalence of male and female victimization. We examined research published in the last 10 years to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the prevalence of physical IPV victimization in heterosexual relationships. Our specific aims were to (a) describe the prevalence of physical IPV victimization in industrialized, English-speaking nations; and (b) explore study and sample characteristics that affect prevalence. Literature searches undertaken in three databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) identified 750 articles published between 2000 and 2010. We included 249 articles that reported 543 rates of physical IPV victimization in our review: 158 articles reported 318 rates for women, 6 articles reported 8 rates for men, and 85 articles reported 217 rates for both men and women. Most studies were conducted in the United States (k= 213, 85.5%) and almost half (k= 118, 47.4%) measured IPV using a Conflict Tactics Scale-based approach. Unweighted, pooled prevalence estimates were calculated for female and male victimization overall and by sample type, country, measurement time frame, and measurement approach. Across studies, approximately 1 in 4 women (23.1%) and 1 in 5 men (19.3%) experienced physical violence in an intimate relationship, with an overall pooled prevalence estimate of 22.4%. Analyses revealed considerable variability in rates as a function of methodological issues, indicating the need for standardized measurement of IPV.

Stability of Intimate Partner Violence by Men across 12 Years in Young Adulthood: Effects of Relationship Transitions

The present study examined the stability of young men's intimate partner violence (IPV) over a 12-year period as a function of relationship continuity or discontinuity. Multiwave measures of IPV (physical and psychological aggression) were obtained from 184 men at risk for delinquency and their women partners. The effects of relationship continuity versus transitions on change in IPV were examined using multilevel analyses. In general, men's IPV decreased over time. Men's physical aggression in their early 20s predicted levels of physical aggression about 7years later, and men's psychological aggression in their early 20s predicted levels of psychological aggression about 10-12years later. As hypothesized, higher stability in IPV was found for men who stayed with the same partners, whereas men experiencing relationship transitions showed greater change. The IPV of new partners was linked to the changes in men's IPV that occurred with repartnering. There was less change in men's IPV over time as men changed partners less frequently.

Hazardous Gambling among Women Court-Mandated to Batterer Intervention Programs

Although it has been a profound source of controversy in the past,1 it is now generally recognized that females are as physically aggressive as are their male counterparts.2 – 3 The prevalence of female-to-male intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration has been found to be similar to, if not greater than, that of male-to-female IPV perpetration, with the most common form of IPV being bi-directional in nature.2 , 4 Many states have implemented mandatory arrest laws for domestic violence in which all parties found to be involved in the perpetration of IPV, including women, must be arrested when authorities arrive at a violent scene.5 Often, these individuals are further mandated to attend batter intervention programs (BIPs). Unfortunately, there is still very little known regarding women's use of IPV, and even less is known about women court-mandated to BIPs. Further, while there is a large body of research showing a strong association between alcohol use and violent behavior,6 alcohol use and gambling,7 – 10 and violent behavior and gambling,11 –13 very little is known regarding the co-occurrence of all three of these variables. This is especially true of women who have been found to be intimately violent. Understanding the poly-morbid relationship between these three behaviors is an important step toward improving the effectiveness of BIPs, so that the constellation of issues relevant for these women can be more adequately addressed, which could have substantial implications for public health and policy. The aim of the current study was to address this gap. The sample of women used in the current analyses comes from a larger study of women in Rhode Island court-mandated to BIPs, described previously in this journal.14 For the purposes of the current study, a total of 92 women who completed measures of gambling, alcohol use, and IPV were utilized. Females' gambling behavior was assessed with the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS).15 Consistent with the published scoring protocol for the SOGS, hazardous gambling was defined as a cut score of five or greater, and problem gambling was defined as a score between one and four. Alcohol use was assessed with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT).16 Hazardous drinking was defined as meeting one or more of the following three criteria: scoring eight or higher on the AUDIT; drinking four or more drinks on one occasion on a monthly or more frequent basis; or being intoxicated on a monthly or more frequent basis. Finally, perpetration of IPV was assessed with the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2).17 Specifically, perpetration of psychological abuse, physical abuse, and sexual coercion were examined.

Impact of Current and Past Intimate Partner Violence on Maternal Mental Health and Behaviour at 2 Years After Childbirth: Evidence from the Pacific Islands Families Study

The present study examined the association between maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) at 6 weeks and 24 months postpartum and maternal health problems in a cohort of Pacific families with 2-year-old children in New Zealand. Data were gathered from the Pacific Islands Families Study. Mothers of a cohort of Pacific infants born in Auckland, New Zealand during 2000 were interviewed when the children were 6 weeks and 24 months of age. There were 828 mothers cohabiting in married or de facto partnerships who completed measures of IPV, mental health, and health-related behaviour such as smoking and high-risk alcohol use at both data points. The main statistical method used was logistic regression analysis. Compared to mothers who did not experience physical violence at either data point, the odds of reporting psychological distress were 2.42 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-5.44) for those experiencing physical violence at 6 weeks only, 3.47 (95%CI = 1.75-6.86) for those experiencing physical violence at 24 months only, and 3.84 (95%CI = 1.78-8.30) for those experiencing physical violence at both data points after controlling for sociodemographic factors. Mothers experiencing verbal aggression or physical violence at both data points were more likely to report smoking or high-risk alcohol use at 24 months than those who did not, but the associations were no longer significant after controlling for sociodemographic factors. Being a victim of intimate partner physical violence at any time (past, recent and repeated) may contribute to an increase in maternal psychological distress. Health-related behaviours such as smoking and high-risk alcohol use at 24 months postpartum may to some degree be attributable to repeated victimization of physical violence and verbal aggression, but the relationships are not convincing and deserve further research in longitudinal studies.

Traumatic Stress Symptoms of Women Exposed to Different Forms of Childhood Victimization and Intimate Partner Violence

Interviews of women with (n = 193) and without (n = 170) recent exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) were used to examine how IPV and past exposure to child abuse influence self-reports of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The measurement of IPV included assessing psychological, physical, escalated physical, and sexual abuse. Women's retrospective accounts of childhood victimization included reports of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and witnessing domestic violence growing up. Each form of adult IPV showed an independent association with PTSD symptoms, as did each form of childhood victimization. In regression models including child and adult abuse together, adult IPV and childhood sexual abuse were related to PTSD symptoms, and adult IPV mediated the association between childhood physical abuse and adult PTSD. Tests of the interactions between childhood and adulthood victimization on PTSD symptoms were not significant. Findings are discussed within the context of a life-course perspective of trauma.

Exploring gender differences in the patterns of intimate partner violence in Canada: a latent class approach

BackgroundThere has been an ongoing debate about the extent and nature of gender differences in the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV). Disagreement about the appropriate definition of IPV is...

The effect of television news items on intimate partner violence murders

This study has been carried out in order to explore the effect of the growing appearance of IPV in television news items on deaths by this cause. Ecological study based on 340 deaths by intimate partner violence (IPV) and 3733 television news items covering this topic on Spanish television channels (2003 and 2007). Logistic regression analysis was carried out. Dependent variable: the difference between the number of IPV deaths in the 7 days following a news item broadcast and the number of IPV deaths in the 7 days before a media item. This outcome variable was conceptualised as a binary variable: increase vs. no increase. days with IPV news items-in general, concerning deaths, measures or other IPV crimes. Adjusted variables: day of the week, month, year and public holidays. A small copycat effect was observed in the IPV murder rate (RR = 1.32, CI(95%) = 1.07 - 1.62) for IPV-related news item days compared with days without such news. This effect continued when information about deaths was broadcast (RR = 1.28, CI(95%) = 1.01 - 1.62). News items concerning measures (RR = 0.90, CI(95%) = 0.82 - 0.98) or other IPV crimes (0.84, CI(95%) = 0.82 - 0.98) were related to a lower possibility of an increase in deaths compared with days with death-related news. Given the results observed in the case of IPV-related news, there is an evident need to develop a journalistic style guide in order to determine what type of information is recommended due to the potential positive or negative effects.

Pacific Islands Families Study: Intimate Partner Violence and Postnatal Depression

The present study examined the association between maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) and postnatal depression (PND) 6 weeks after giving birth. Data were gathered from the Pacific Islands Families Study. Mothers of a cohort of Pacific infants born in Auckland, New Zealand during 2000 were interviewed 6 weeks after giving birth. There were 1,085 mothers cohabiting in married or de-facto partnerships who completed measures of IPV and PND at the 6-week assessment point. Women who were victims of physical violence were more likely to report postnatal depressive symptoms than those who were not (29.6% vs. 10.9%, OR: 3.44, 95% CI: 2.42, 4.97). The adjusted odds remained statistically significant (OR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.52, 3.60). Findings suggest that being the victim of physical violence more than doubles the risk of PND. The results of the study may help to develop culturally appropriate social services and policies for Pacific women.

Maternal intimate partner violence and behavioural problems among Pacific children living in New Zealand

To examine (1) the association between maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimisation and behavioural problems among two- and four-year-old Pacific children, and (2) the socio-demographic and parenting factors that may impact on this association. Mothers of the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) cohort of Pacific infants born in New Zealand during 2000 were interviewed when the children were two and four years of age. This data set was based on mothers who were cohabiting in married or de-facto partnerships (N = 920) and who completed measures of IPV at the two-year assessment point and the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) at the two-or four-year assessment points. Of these, 709 mothers completed the CBCL at both assessment points. There were no significant associations between IPV and the prevalence rates of clinically relevant cases of behavioural problems in the two-year-old child cohort. However, the prevalence rates of clinically relevant internalising, externalising and total problem cases were significantly higher among four-year-old children of mothers who reported severe perpetration of IPV. The odds of being in clinical range of internalising were 2.16 times higher for children of mothers who were perpetrators of severe physical violence than for those children of mothers who were not, and for externalising and total problems they were 2.38 and 2.36 times higher respectively. Socio-demographic and parenting factors did not significantly influence the association between IPV and child behaviour problems. These findings contribute to the complex picture of the consequences that exposure to parental violence may have on the behaviour of young children. The effectiveness of preventative strategies may be maximised if implemented in these early years before such problems become entrenched and lead on to future behavioural problems and impaired family relationships.

Prevalence and Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence Among a Sample of Construction Industry Workers

This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) among a sample of unionized construction industry workers, and tested the reliability of new measures of IPV normative beliefs. Study participants (n=100) voluntarily completed confidential and anonymous self-administered questionnaires that measured occupational factors, hazardous drinking, and normative beliefs. Measurement of past-year IPV was based on the Conflict Tactics Scale, Form R. Measures of IPV normative beliefs showed good reliability (Cronbach’s α 0.94–0.95). Past-year IPV prevalence was 26%. Logistic regression models were developed to assess the contribution of each factor to risk of past-year IPV perpetration. Perceived workplace racial/ethnic discrimination, job strain, interpersonal workplace conflict, normative beliefs, and hazardous drinking were positively associated with elevated IPV risk.Construction industry workers may have higher rates of IPV compared to general population samples that represent various occupations and social classes. Occupational factors appear to be significant correlates of IPV among these workers.

Vaginal Douching and Intimate Partner Violence: Is There an Association?

This study tests the hypothesis that vaginal douching among women of reproductive age is associated with exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV). The data source is a cross-sectional population-based sample of 2,002 women ages 18-45 in the Central Pennsylvania Women's Health Study. The survey included measures of IPV, douching behavior, and relevant sociodemographic and health-related covariates. Six percent of the sample reported experiencing any type of IPV in the past year, and 23% reported douching in the past year. IPV is significantly associated with douching after controlling for sociodemographic and health-related covariates. This finding holds for women with and without current reproductive capacity. This is the first study to identify an association between vaginal douching and IPV. Because vaginal douching is a risk factor for sexually transmitted infections, bacterial vaginosis, and adverse pregnancy outcomes, the findings could have important implications for prevention. Further research is needed to identify the reasons why women who have been exposed to IPV are more likely to douche.

Household and Neighborhood Contexts of Intimate Partner Violence

Two sources of contextual risk on the prevalence and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) are investigated: household economic condition and neighborhood disadvantage. There is debate about whether each context is an independent source of IPV risk and whether risks cumulate over contexts. Data from the second wave of the National Survey of Families and Households are combined with tract level data from the 1990 U.S. Census. A sub-sample of co-resident couples with a child aged 5-17 in the household was selected for analysis (n=2,273). IPV is measured in three ways: as any physical violence reported by either partner in the year prior to the survey, as gendered violence in which both partners are identified as aggressors, and as severe violence in terms of injury and frequency. Regardless of how IPV is assessed, couples with IPV are more likely to present a vulnerable economic risk profile and to live in neighborhoods of high disadvantage. When economically vulnerable couples living in advantaged versus disadvantaged neighborhoods are compared, there are no significant differences in rates of IPV, regardless of the measure of IPV that is used. Neighborhood context matters, however, in comparisons among economically advantaged couples: rates of IPV are significantly higher among those in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The consistency of effect for economic vulnerability and its invariance across neighborhood settings suggests that reducing economic vulnerability is likely to have beneficial effects in both disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged neighborhoods.