Peer Review #1 of "Understanding the experience of psychopathology after intimate partner violence: the role of personality (v0.2)"

Abstract

Objective(s):To fully understand the dynamics of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) it is necessary to understand the role of personality. The current understanding of which personality characteristics are associated with IPV victimization is, however, far from comprehensive. Given this gap in the literature, our objective was to examine the associations between the dimensions of the psychobiological model of personality and psychopathological symptoms in women who had experienced IPV. [p] Methods: Using a case-control design, a group of women who had experienced IPV and who were living in shelters ( n = 50) were compared to a group of control women who had not experienced IPV ( n = 50). All women completed the Temperament and Character Inventory -Revised and the Brief Symptom Inventory. [p] Results: Victims of IPV showed significantly higher levels of Harm Avoidance and Self-Transcendence, and lower levels of Reward Dependence and Self-Directedness, than the non-IPV control group. Victims of IPV also reported elevated levels of psychopathological symptoms. Personality dimensions showed a broadly consistent pattern of associations across different psychopathological symptoms. A regression analysis indicated that Novelty Seeking was negatively associated with psychopathological symptoms in victims of IPV, but not significantly associated in non-victims. Abstract 28 Objective(s): To fully understand the dynamics of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) it is 29 necessary to understand the role of personality. The current understanding of which personality 30 characteristics are associated with IPV victimization is, however, far from comprehensive. Given 31 this gap in the literature, our objective was to examine the associations between the dimensions 32 of the psychobiological model of personality and psychopathological symptoms in women who 33 had experienced IPV.34 Methods: Using a case-control design, a group of women who had experienced IPV and who 35 were living in shelters (n = 50) were compared to a group of control women who had not 36 experienced IPV (n = 50). All women completed the Temperament and Character Inventory -37 Revised and the Brief Symptom Inventory.PeerJ reviewing PDF | Manuscript to be reviewed 38 Results: Victims of IPV showed significantly higher levels of Harm Avoidance and Self-39 Transcendence, and lower levels of Reward Dependence and Self-Directedness, than the non-40 IPV control group. Victims of IPV also reported elevated levels of psychopathological 41 symptoms. Personality dimensions showed a broadly consistent pattern of associations across 42 different psychopathological symptoms. A regression analysis indicated that Novelty Seeking 43 was negatively associated with psychopathological symptoms in victims of IPV, but not 44 significantly associated in non-victims. 45 Conclusions: The study highlights the important role of Harm Avoidance and Self-Directedness 46 for understanding psychopathological symptoms. Novelty Seeking appears to play an important 47 role in the expression of i...