Intimate Partner Violence and Subsequent Depression: Examining the Roles of Neighborhood Supportive Mechanisms

Effects of Neighborhood Disconnection on Psychological Distress and Suicide Risk Associated with Interpersonal Violence Within Racial Groups

Negative mental health outcomes have been associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and intimate partner violence (IPV); however, few studies have identified risk and protective factors across levels of the social ecology that mitigate the onset of psychological distress and suicide risk associated with trauma. This study examines the relationship between ACEs, IPV, and mental health (i.e., psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts) within racial sub-populations of Black American, Latinx, and White adults. An online, cross-section survey was administered to a general population sample of adults in Baltimore and New York City. ACEs, IPV, and mental health outcomes were assessed within racial sub-populations of Black American (N = 390), Latinx (N = 178), and White (N = 339) adults, while accounting for within-group demographic differences. Moderating effects of social support and neighborhood disconnection on the relationship between ACEs, IPV, and mental health outcomes were also assessed. IPV was associated with psychological distress and suicidal ideation for Black and Latinx adults, but not for White adults. ACEs were associated with increased psychological distress for all three groups, and increased odds for suicidal ideation among Black and Latinx adults.. A significant negative interaction effect for neighborhood disconnection was found in the relationship between ACEs and psychological distress for Black adults. Findings highlight the significant mental health burdens of ACEs and IPV within racial and ethnic groups. Neighborhood disconnection may exacerbate psychological distress associated with ACEs among populations most impacted by interpersonal violence and mental health inequalities.

Neighborhood Social Support and Social Participation as Predictors of Dating Violence

Many adolescents experience violence in the context of dating and romantic relationships. Neighborhoods can influence dating violence by offering certain resources which can provide social support and opportunities for social participation, but knowledge about these effects is still limited. The purpose of the current study was to (a) assess the association between neighborhood social support, social participation, and dating violence, and (b) explore possible gender difference in these associations. This study was conducted on a subsample of 511 participants living in Montréal from the Québec Health Survey of High School Students (QHSHSS 2016-2017). QHSHSS data were used to measure psychological and physical/sexual violence (perpetration and victimization), neighborhood social support, and social participation, as well as individual and family covariates. Several neighborhood-level data from multiple sources were also used as covariates. Logistic regressions were performed to estimate associations between neighborhood social support and social participation, and Dating violence (DV). Analyses were conducted separately for girls and boys to explore possible gender differences. Findings suggest that girls who reported high neighborhood social support had a lower risk of perpetrating psychological DV. High social participation was associated with a lower risk of perpetrating physical/sexual DV for girls, whereas it was associated with a higher risk of perpetrating psychological DV for boys. Preventive strategies to foster social support in neighborhoods, such as mentoring programs, and the development of community organizations to increase the social participation of adolescents could help reduce DV. To address the perpetration of DV by boys, prevention programs in community and sports organizations targeting male peer groups should also be developed to prevent these behaviors.

Radicalism and Life Meaningfulness Among Hong Kong Youth

According to significance quest theory, radicalism arises from a deficit in life meaningfulness. However, radicalism springs from life meaningfulness, according to meaning maintenance and other principles in existentialist How life meaningfulness predicts radicalism is thus a research question. This study addresses the question with a survey of 4,385 youths in Hong Kong, China. Results indicate that life meaningfulness positively predicted radicalism, slightly more positively when radicalism in the previous year had been higher. Meanwhile, education, employment, and native status positively predicted radicalism and life meaningfulness, showing their homology in meaning sources. These results imply that radicalism prevention needs to reform the meaning basis for life meaningfulness to be socially desirable.

Mothers' Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Depression: Associations with Children's Behavioral Functioning

Despite robust bodies of literature documenting that both mothers' intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and mothers' mental health are consequential for children's behavioral functioning, the conjunction of these two risk factors is less understood. Findings are mixed as to whether mental health mediates the effect of IPV on behavioral functioning. Such mixed findings may result from literature primarily examining samples selected from clinical, shelter, or intervention settings. Furthermore, few studies have expanded the literature to assess moderation, rather than mediation, effects. While mediation analysis tests whether behavioral problems result from mothers' IPV because IPV increases depression, moderation analysis instead tests whether mother's IPV victimization has a different impact for their children based on whether or not the mother is also experiencing depression. The current study uses a representative survey of neighborhoods and households in Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (n = 1,913), to examine the combined effects of mothers' IPV victimization and depression on children's internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The findings suggest that mothers' IPV victimization and depression have direct, positive effects on both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Additionally, there is a moderation effect such that children of mothers who suffer from both IPV victimization and depression have higher levels of internalizing behavior problems. These results emphasize the importance of addressing the mental health of IPV victims, not only for the benefit of the direct victim, but also for the benefit of her children.

Intergenerational effects of violence on women's perinatal wellbeing and infant health outcomes: evidence from a birth cohort study in Central Vietnam

BACKGROUND

Girls exposed to violence have a high risk of being victimized as adults and are more likely than non-abused women to have children who are treated violently. This intergenerational transmission may be especially serious when women suffer violence during pregnancy and early motherhood, as it impairs maternal wellbeing and infant health and development. This study examined the intergenerational effects of being exposed to childhood maltreatment (CM) and prenatal intimate partner violence (p-IPV) on perinatal mental distress and birth outcomes in central Vietnam.

METHODS

A birth cohort study in Hue City, Vietnam was conducted with 150 women in the third trimester of pregnancy (Wave 1) and 3 months after childbirth (Wave 2). Using multivariable logistic regression models, augmented inverse-probability-weighted estimators and structural equation modelling (SEM), we analyzed a theoretical model by evaluating adjusted risk differences and pathways between CM, p-IPV and subsequent perinatal adversity and indicators of infant health problems.

RESULTS

One in two pregnant women experienced at least one form of CM (55.03%) and one in ten pregnant women experienced both CM and p-IPV (10.67%). Mothers who experienced p-IPV or witnessed IPV as a child were approximately twice as likely to experience poor mental health during pregnancy [ARR 1.94, 95% CI (1.20-3.15)]. Infants had a two-fold higher risk of adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight, preterm birth, admission to neonatal intensive care) [ARR 2.45 95% CI (1.42, 4.25)] if their mothers experienced any form of p-IPV, with greater risk if their mothers were exposed to both CM and p-IPV [ARR 3.45 95% CI (1.40, 8.53)]. Notably, significant pathways to p-IPV were found via adverse childhood experience (ACE) events (β = 0.13), neighborhood disorder (β = 0.14) and partner support (β = - 1.3).

CONCLUSION

These results emphasize the detrimental and prolonged nature of the effect of violence during childhood and pregnancy. Exposure to childhood maltreatment and violence during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal mental health difficulties and adverse birth outcomes. Antenatal care systems need to be responsive to women's previous experiences of violence and maternal mental health. The significant protective role of partner support and social support should also be considered when designing tailored interventions to address violence during pregnancy.

Neighborhood Disorder, Social Support, and Outcomes Among Violence-Exposed African American Women

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women, particularly those living in poverty who have multiple marginalized identities, is a significant public health issue. IPV is associated with numerous mental health concerns including depression, hopelessness, and suicidal behavior. The present study examined the ecological determinants of these mental health outcomes in a high-risk sample of 67 low-income, African American women survivors of IPV. Based on an ecological framework that conceptualizes individuals as nested in multiple, interactive systems, we examined, longitudinally, the main and interactive effects of self-reported neighborhood disorder and social support from family members and friends on participants' mental health (i.e., self-reported depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and suicide intent). In multiple regression analyses, neighborhood disorder interacted with social support from family members to predict depressive symptoms and hopelessness over time. Neighborhood disorder also interacted with social support from friends to predict hopelessness and suicide intent over time. High levels of social support buffered against the dangerous effects of neighborhood disorder on depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and suicide intent; at low levels of social support, there was no significant association between neighborhood disorder and those mental health outcomes. Neighborhood disorder and social support did not yield significant main effects. These findings underscore the importance of interventions that target individuals, families, and communities (e.g., community empowerment programs). Group interventions may also be important for low-income, African American women survivors of IPV, as they can help survivors establish and strengthen relationships and social support.

Social Capital Effects on the Relation between Neighborhood Characteristics and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization among Women

Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a public health issue plaguing families and communities in the USA. Despite considerable research devoted to individual-level factors affecting IPV and a smaller body of ecological IPV research, few studies explore the interaction between individual-level protective factors and neighborhood- or community-level factors in predicting the incidents of IPV among women. Moreover, most IPV studies utilize a unidimensional approach for social capital, despite strong empirical and theoretical support for a multi-dimensional conceptualization. In a sample of heterosexual women in the USA (N = 1884), we found that concentrated disadvantage, social and physical disorder, and community violence together significantly predicted increased rates of IPV victimization. Concentrated disadvantage and higher scores on the social capital index independently predicted a lower probability of victimization. Moderating effects were found for social capital: the protective effects of social capital on the probability of IPV were attenuated for those reporting community violence compared with women who did not report it. These findings enhance the field's understanding of the synergistic relationship between individual- and neighborhood-level factors, providing important implications for community-based IPV interventions.

External Factors Associated With Community Cohesion in Women Living With HIV

Although community cohesion has been identified as a protective factor associated with positive health outcomes, less is known about factors that increase community cohesion for women living with HIV (WLWH). We examined risk/protective factors associated with community cohesion in WLWH (N = 56) in the US Mid-South (Mage = 41.2 years, SD = 9.01). Participants completed hour-long interviews. Hierarchical linear regression modeling was used to examine factors associated with community cohesion. The final model was significant, F(5, 50) = 6.42, p < .001, adj. R = 33%; greater social support (b = .38, p < .01) and resilience (b = .27, p < .05) were significantly associated with better community cohesion. Given the protective benefits of community connectedness, findings suggest that nurses and community providers work with WLWH to harness friend- and family-support networks. In addition, strategies to enhance access to resilience resources would enable WLWH to recover from adversity.

Perceived Collective Efficacy and Parenting Competence: The Roles of Quality of Life and Hope

Parents' perceptions of their parenting competence predict successful implementation of parenting tasks and contribute to their interest and involvement in parenting and to their children's development. Thus, identifying factors that contribute to parents' perceptions of parenting competence can help inform efforts to promote children's safety and well-being. The present study employs social disorganization theory to examine the relationship between collective efficacy and parents' sense of competence, measured along two dimensions: parental efficacy and parental satisfaction. It examines the direct association between the two constructs and whether the association is mediated by parent perceptions of their quality of life (QOL) and sense of hope. Data were collected from 198 parents residing in a neighborhood in southern Tel Aviv, Israel. The analyses indicated that high collective efficacy was directly associated with high parental efficacy, but not with high parental satisfaction. Using structural equation modeling, a mediation model was found whereby higher collective efficacy was associated with (a) higher QOL, which in turn was related to a greater sense of hope, which was linked with higher parental efficacy; and (b) higher QOL, which was directly associated with higher parental satisfaction. The findings provide further support to the idea that neighborhood characteristics play an important role in parents' ability to care for their children.

Keeping it together for the kids: New mothers' descriptions of the impact of intimate partner violence on parenting

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects 1 in 3 US women with the effects of IPV detectable for several generations. While IPV is known to have significant impacts on maternal-child outcomes, little is known about the mother's perspectives of the interplay between perinatal IPV exposure, parenting styles, and safety strategies.

METHODS

This secondary analysis of semi-structured, longitudinal qualitative interview data explored with pregnant women their histories of IPV, their parenting practices, and safety strategies. Data were derived from a randomized controlled trial, DOVE, with 22 interviews from 11 women collected during pregnancy and 12 or 24 months postpartum.

RESULTS

Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis resulting in three themes: "broken spirit," "I want better for my kids and me," and "safety planning as an element of parenting." Women described at baseline having a "broken spirit" due to their experiences with household and family chaos and childhood abuse. However, when mothers ended the abusive relationship, they described a better life and several strategies to protect themselves and their children. During their final interviews, mothers discussed how their lives improved after ending the relationship as well as safety planning strategies they employed like looking for "red flags" in potential partners, struggles with finding trustworthy childcare, and stockpiling money should they choose to end the relationship.

CONCLUSION

These rich data add new information about how mothers of very young children navigate difficult parenting and safety decisions in the context of lifetime traumatic events and provide insights relevant for practice and research with this highly-vulnerable group of IPV survivors.

Understanding the Relation Between Neighborhoods and Intimate Partner Violence: An Integrative Review

Stemming in part from the lack of theory, predictors of the relationship between neighborhoods and intimate partner violence (IPV) are underidentified. Furthermore, few mediation studies exist that inductively build and deductively confirm theoretical frameworks. This article provides an integrative review of the literature, aiming to enhance the field's understanding of predictors and potential mechanisms that drive this relationship, using a combined theoretical model to guide the analysis. The integrative review was conducted using Whittemore and Knafl's systematic method for integrative reviews with articles published between 1995 and 2015. Findings indicate that macro-, exo-, and mesolevel predictors and mediators in the proposed model have modest empirical support; however, a number of concepts at each ecological level have yet to be fully researched. Results of this review suggest that a well-defined and integrative theoretical framework will enhance the current understanding of ecological research into IPV. Additionally, a comprehensive ecological approach to IPV intervention is likely to be more effective than employing solely an individual-level approach. Intervention implications are discussed.

Community, Public Policy, and Recovery from Mental Illness: Emerging Research and Initiatives

This commentary examines the roles that communities and public policies play in the definition and processes of recovery for adults with mental illness. Policy, clinical, and consumer definitions of recovery are reviewed, which highlight the importance of communities and policies for recovery. This commentary then presents a framework for the relationships between community-level factors, policies, and downstream mental health outcomes, focusing on macroeconomic, housing, and health care policies; adverse exposures such as crime victimization; and neighborhood characteristics such as social capital. Initiatives that address community contexts to improve mental health outcomes are currently under way. Common characteristics of such initiatives and select examples are discussed. This commentary concludes with a discussion of providers', consumers', and other stakeholders' roles in shaping policy reform and community change to facilitate recovery.

Psycho-social profile of battered women in Galicia, Spain: Distress as a result of intimate partner violence and child abuse

In Spain, a country of great cultural diversity, there is an increasing demand for psychosocial care for victims of gender-based violence. The objective is to describe the psychosocial profile of these women residing in the Autonomous Community of Galicia. In a sample (n = 40) of victims of intimate partner violence, it was found a high incidence of PTSD, depression, and low self-esteem associated with greater severity of PTSD and depression. A prolonged relationship increases the types of violence experienced, which is associated with particular psychosocial conditions that are analyzed quanti-qualitatively in order to recommend interventions consistent with the problems detected.

Protective Factors associated with Resilience in Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

OBJECTIVE

Research on adversity is often skewed toward assessing problematic functioning; yet many women display resilience following traumatic experiences. Examining individual, relational, community, and cultural variables can provide new knowledge about protective factors associated with resilience in women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV). Controlling for demographics and circumstances of the violence, this study evaluated predictors of resilience, including spirituality, social support, community cohesion, and ethnic identity.

METHOD

The sample consisted of 112 women (M_age =32.12, SD=5.78) exposed to physical, psychological, and/or sexual intimate partner violence in the past 6 months. Approximately 70% of participants were Black. Hierarchical linear regression modeling was conducted to examine factors related to resilience. Model 1 included demographics (age, education, and socioeconomic status) and stressful life experiences. Model 2 added circumstances of the violence: IPV severity, IPV perpetration by participant, and number of violent partners. The third and final model added spirituality, social support, community cohesion, and ethnic identity.

RESULTS

The final model was significant, F(11, 97)=6.63; p<.001, adj. R² =36.5%; with greater social support (β=.24; p=.009), more spirituality (β=.28; p=.002), and fewer violent relationships (β= -.25; p=.003) predicting higher resilience among women exposed to IPV.

CONCLUSION

While risk factors associated with IPV are well-researched, little is known about factors related to resilient functioning, especially among minority populations. Knowledge gained from this study can advance the field of violence research by its identification of potentially mutable variables related to resilience. Such research could be applied to developing strength-based interventions for at-risk populations of violence-exposed women.

Neighborhood Concentrated Disadvantage and Dating Violence among Urban Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Neighborhood Social Processes

The link between relationship violence and aspects of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage (e.g., percent of unemployed adults, percent of families below poverty level), has been established. However, the literature examining neighborhood social processes, including informal social control and social cohesion, in relation to adolescent dating violence has shown mixed results with a limited theoretical foundation and methodology. Using a social disorganization theoretical framework, this study examined the mediating role of these neighborhood social processes in the relation between concentrated disadvantage and adolescent dating violence within an urban context. Participants included 605 adult residents in 30 census tracts and 203 adolescents from neighborhoods on the West and South sides of Chicago. Neighborhood-level concentrated disadvantage was measured via Census data, adult residents reported on neighborhood social processes, and youth reported on dating violence. Informal social control was negatively associated with dating violence, and social cohesion was positively associated with dating violence. A multilevel mediation model showed that concentrated disadvantage was related to higher levels of dating violence via lower levels of informal social control. These results extend social disorganization theory to dating violence within an urban context, while also highlighting the important role of neighborhood processes on relationship violence. Implications for research and intervention programming are discussed.

The implications of community responses to intimate partner violence in Rwanda

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has significant impacts on mental health. Community-focused interventions have shown promising results for addressing IPV in low-income countries, however, little is known about the implications of these interventions for women’s mental wellbeing. This paper analyses data from a community-focused policy intervention in Rwanda collected in 2013–14, including focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with community members (n = 59). Our findings point to three ways in which these community members responded to IPV: (1) reconciling couples experiencing violence, (2) engaging community support through raising cases of IPV during community discussions, (3) navigating resources for women experiencing IPV, including police, social services and legal support. These community responses support women experiencing violence by helping them access available resources and by engaging in community discussions. However, assistance is largely only offered to married women and responses tend to focus exclusively on physical rather than psychological or emotional forms of violence. Drawing on Campbell and Burgess’s (2012) framework for ‘community mental health competence’, we interrogate the potential implications of these responses for the mental wellbeing of women affected by violence. We conclude by drawing attention to the gendered nature of community responses to IPV and the potential impacts this may have for the mental health of women experiencing IPV.

A qualitative analysis of psychosocial outcomes among women with sexual violence-related pregnancies in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

BACKGROUND

Sexual violence is prevalent in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and has potentially devastating psychosocial consequences. Previous studies have reported on sexual violence and its impact on the mental health of survivors, but there are few studies conducted among women with sexual violence-related pregnancies (SVRPs). Women with SVRPs may be at greater risk of complex psychosocial outcomes, including social stigmatization. This study aimed to describe psychosocial outcomes among this subgroup of sexual violence survivors in order to inform future interventions.

METHODS

A mixed methods study was conducted in Bukavu, DRC in 2012 among adult women who self-reported an SVRP and either (1) were currently raising a child from an SVRP (parenting group) or (2) had terminated an SVRP (termination group). This manuscript presents qualitative findings from the mixed methods study. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling and a proportion engaged in semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted by trained female interviewers. Thematic content analysis was conducted and key themes were identified.

RESULTS

In total, 55 women were interviewed, of whom 38 were in the parenting group and 17 in the termination group. Women with SVRPs experienced a myriad of emotional responses as they navigated their social environments following the SVRPs. Negative reactions, including social stigmatization and/or social rejection, toward women with SVRPs and toward children born from SVRPs were important influences on psychological well-being. Women expressed both internalized emotionality intertwined with externalized experiences in the social environment. Many women demonstrated resilience, or what could be termed post-traumatic growth, identifying avenues of agency to advance the social conditions for women.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from the qualitative study, and in particular, the respondents' needs and suggested strategies, may be useful to inform future research, programs, and policies for women with SVRPs in eastern DRC. Future research could move beyond cross-sectional assessments to utilize innovative research methodologies to assess processes of psychological adaptation among women with SVRPs. Multi-dimensional psychosocial programs for women with SVRPs should consider basic needs such as shelter, food, and health care within the broader framework of trauma-informed care. Participatory programming, guided by beneficiaries, could provide further avenues for agency to advance social conditions for women with SVRPs in eastern DRC.

Neighborhood Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Theory-Informed Analysis Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling

Due to high prevalence rates and deleterious effects on individuals, families, and communities, intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem. Because IPV occurs in the context of communities and neighborhoods, research must examine the broader environment in addition to individual-level factors to successfully facilitate behavior change. Drawing from the Social Determinants of Health framework and Social Disorganization Theory, neighborhood predictors of IPV were tested using hierarchical linear modeling. Results indicated that concentrated disadvantage and female-to-male partner violence were robust predictors of women's IPV victimization. Implications for theory, practice, and policy, and future research are discussed.

Neighborhood Collective Efficacy Moderates the Association between Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Marital Conflict

In a socio-demographically diverse sample of 501 caregivers participating in a longitudinal birth cohort study during the childbearing years, we examined whether neighborhood collective efficacy moderated the association between maternal adverse childhood experience (ACEs) and marital conflict. Maternal ACEs were assessed via retrospective reports. Neighborhood collective efficacy was measured via maternal and paternal reports at 2 months, and maternal reports of marital conflict were collected at infant age 2 and 18 months. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that maternal ACEs were associated with increased marital conflict. Neighborhood collective efficacy moderated the association between early maternal ACEs and marital conflict, such that mothers experiencing ACEs had lower levels of marital conflict when exposed to high levels of neighborhood collective efficacy. Results suggest that extra-familial sources of social support and control, such as feelings of security, trust, order, and connectedness with others, may buffer the effects of early adversity on marital discord.