Couple Violence and Psychological Distress

Abstract

The Diploma Program in Environmental Health is designed to provide new and/or upgraded skills and knowledge in the principles and practice of environmental health. Students are selected on an interdisciplinary basis and are required to have a University Degree or equivalent. The Diploma Program is suitable for public health unit professionals, physicians, community health nurses, environmental industrial professionals and those in labour and non-governmental organizations dealing with environmental health issues. Students will have the option of enrolling in the campus-based instruction program or through its distance education program.

The Association of Intimate Partner Violence and Depressive Symptoms in a Cohort of Rural Couples

“…While we certainly acknowledge that female victims of physical and emotional IPV should remain a high public health priority due to the higher risk of injury and other negative physical and mental health consequences, the presence of mutual couple violence in nearly half of the couples in this cohort population cannot be ignored. It is also important to note, however, that IPV was considered to have occurred if the respondent provided an affirmative response to any items that assessed physical or emotional violence.…”

“…Both males and females can be perpetrators and/or victims of IPV, although the primary focus continues to be on IPV victimization among females due to higher rates of injury and increased risk of injury or homicide by an intimate partner . However, some researchers have reported approximately equal rates of perpetration of IPV by males and females, mostly in general population studies . These near‐equal rates of perpetration are often physical and have been attributed to “common” or “situational” couple violence, a less severe, less frequent, and rarely escalating form of IPV in which abusive episodes are gender symmetric in initiation and reciprocity …”

“…A low rate of detection of IPV by medical practitioners has been recognized, mostly due to the lack of reliable correlates and risk factors to use for screening . One correlate that has continued to emerge is the presence of depressive symptoms for both perpetrators and female victims of IPV . The severity of violence and the severity of depression have also been linked …”

Research on Domestic Violence in the 1990s: Making Distinctions

“…Studies that have compared physical and psychological consequences for men and women find more serious consequences for women (Browne, Williams, et al, 1999; Brush, 1990; Dobash et al, 1992; Grandin, Lupri, & Brinkerhoff, 1998; Sorenson et al, 1996; Straus, 1999; Vivian & Langhinrichson‐Rohling, 1994). Of course, the danger in these comparisons is that they may be comparing apples and oranges because most of them deal with survey data in which no distinctions among types of violence are made.…”

Differences in Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Stress between Victims and Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

“…Stress as a reaction to IPV has most frequently been studied as a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), actually, as one form of the anxiety disorders. Grandin et al (1998) explored the connection between IPV and psychological consequences and he found that both men and women, victims of psychological and physical abuse, report high levels of psychological distress in comparison to the control group subjects. According to the research results of Ferrari et al (2014) symptoms of PTSD were found in women exposed to violent behaviours by their partners, with the fact that the symptomatology worsened as the intensity and frequency of symptoms increased.…”