Montreal: In addition to their physical injuries, women who are victims of
domestic violence are also at a greater risk of mental health problems
such as depression and psychotic symptoms. These are the findings of a
study that was just published by a team of researchers at the Institute
of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London in
England, the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal
(IUSMM), and the University of Montreal.
“We studied the impact of domestic violence on the risk of mental
health problems, particularly depression,” explained Isabelle
Ouellet-Morin, first study author and a researcher at the Institut
universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal. “We also studied the role of
certain factors from the victims' personal history, such as childhood
abuse and economic poverty,” explained Ms. Ouellet-Morin, who is also a
professor at the School of Criminology at the University of Montreal.
1,052 mothers participated in the Environmental Risk (E-Risk)
Longitudinal Twin Study over 10 years. Only subjects with no previous
history of depression were considered for the study. Over this decade,
the researchers conducted multiple interviews to determine whether the
subjects had suffered violence from their spouses and whether they
suffered from mental health disorders.
Results
• More than one third of the women reported suffering violence
from their spouses (e.g., being pushed or hit with an object).
o These women had a more extensive history of childhood abuse,
abuse of illicit substances, economic poverty, early pregnancy, and an
antisocial personality.
o They were twice as likely to suffer from depression, even when controlling for the impact of childhood abuse.
o Domestic violence had an impact not just on mood but on other
mental health aspects as well. These women had a three times higher
risk of developing schizophrenia-like psychotic symptoms. This risk
doubled for women who were also victims of childhood abuse.
“Domestic violence is unacceptable because of the injuries it causes.
We have shown that these injuries are not only physical: they can also
be psychological, as they increase the risk of depression and psychotic
symptoms,” added Louise Arseneault, a researcher at the Institute of
Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London.
“Health professionals need to be very aware of the possibility that
women who experience mental health problems may also be the victims of
domestic violence and vice versa. Given the prevalence of depression in
these victims, we need to prevent these situations and take
action. These acts of violence do more than leave physical damage; they
leave psychological scars as well,” concluded Dr. Arseneault.
Source
Ouellet-Morin,1 H. L. Fisher, M. York-Smith,2 S. Fincham-Campbell,2
T. E. Moffitt2-3 and L. Arseneault2 (2015) Intimate partner violence and
new-onset depression: a longitudinal study of women's childhood and
adult histories of abuse. Depression and Anxiety.