The Relationship Between Mental Health Symptoms and Intimate Partner Violence
Mentor Information
Lindsey Rodriguez (Department of Psychology)
Description
Psychological symptomology and intimate partner violence (IPV) have been shown to often display robust significance. In this study, we investigated how one’s own mental health symptoms and one’s partner’s mental health symptoms were related to one’s own IPV perpetration. Although many studies have examined the relationship between IPV and mental illness, there appears to be a dearth of research pertaining to mental health symptoms of a partner and the subsequent impact related to the other partner’s IPV perpetration. We aimed to fill these gaps with two hypotheses. H1: Individuals with more mental illness symptoms will be more likely to perpetrate IPV. H2: Those with more mental illness symptoms will be more likely to be victims of IPV. Participants included 118 romantic couples (44% female) cohabitating during the COVID-19 pandemic. On average, participants had been romantically involved with their partner for 14.74 (SD=11.71) years. Most participants were White (88.74%) and heterosexual (83.12%). Participants completed an online survey seeking to evaluate their experience with symptoms of anxiety, depression, neuroticism, anger, psychological IPV perpetration, and physical IPV perpetration within the past month. Results indicate support for both hypotheses. Own and partner anxiety, neuroticism, and some facets of anger were related to more physical and psychological IPV. Interestingly, physical violence was predicted by their partner’s depression and not their own. We discuss important implications of a partner’s anxiety being related to IPV perpetration and that one’s own anger control was shown to be a deterrent of IPV.
The Relationship Between Mental Health Symptoms and Intimate Partner Violence
Psychological symptomology and intimate partner violence (IPV) have been shown to often display robust significance. In this study, we investigated how one’s own mental health symptoms and one’s partner’s mental health symptoms were related to one’s own IPV perpetration. Although many studies have examined the relationship between IPV and mental illness, there appears to be a dearth of research pertaining to mental health symptoms of a partner and the subsequent impact related to the other partner’s IPV perpetration. We aimed to fill these gaps with two hypotheses. H1: Individuals with more mental illness symptoms will be more likely to perpetrate IPV. H2: Those with more mental illness symptoms will be more likely to be victims of IPV. Participants included 118 romantic couples (44% female) cohabitating during the COVID-19 pandemic. On average, participants had been romantically involved with their partner for 14.74 (SD=11.71) years. Most participants were White (88.74%) and heterosexual (83.12%). Participants completed an online survey seeking to evaluate their experience with symptoms of anxiety, depression, neuroticism, anger, psychological IPV perpetration, and physical IPV perpetration within the past month. Results indicate support for both hypotheses. Own and partner anxiety, neuroticism, and some facets of anger were related to more physical and psychological IPV. Interestingly, physical violence was predicted by their partner’s depression and not their own. We discuss important implications of a partner’s anxiety being related to IPV perpetration and that one’s own anger control was shown to be a deterrent of IPV.
