Prospective mental health effects of intimate partner stalking among women veterans
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Davin, K. R., Dardis, C. M., Barth, M. R., & Iverson, K. M. (2022). Prospective mental health effects of intimate partner stalking among women veterans. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 14(5), 751–758. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001144
Abstract Created by REACH:
Intimate partner stalking (IPS) is a type of intimate partner violence (IPV) in which an individual receives repeated, unwanted attention and contact that threatens their safety. This study examined the prevalence of different types of IPV (i.e., physical, sexual, psychological) and IPS, as well as whether IPS was associated with mental health symptoms. At baseline, 266 women Veterans reported experiences of IPV and IPS in their lifetime as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. At follow-up 18 months later, they reported on experiences of IPV and IPS in the past year, as well as their current mental health symptoms (i.e., symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety). Those with IPS experiences at baseline reported poorer mental health outcomes at follow-up.
Focus:
Veterans
Mental health
Trauma
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Subject Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Longitudinal Study
Quantitative Study
Authors:
Davin, Katie R., Dardis, Christina M., Barth, Michelle R., Iverson, Katherine M.
Abstract:
Objective: Women veterans are disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence (IPV). Within the civilian literature, intimate partner stalking (IPS) is a common, uniquely deleterious form of IPV; the present study seeks to prospectively examine the psychological effects of IPS among women veterans. Method: Women veterans (n = 266) were recruited using the KnowledgePanel, a probability-based survey panel; participants completed surveys at time 1 (T1) and at time 2 (T2) follow-up 18 months later. Women responded to questionnaires assessing IPV and IPS experiences, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Results: At T1, 54.5% of women reported lifetime IPV, of whom 64.1% reported IPS; at T2, 49.2% reported past-year IPV, of whom 7.6% experienced past-year IPS. Bivariately, women in the T1 IPS group reported higher T2 PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms than the T1 IPV only and no IPV groups. In a multivariate model, there remained indirect effects of T1 IPS on T2 PTSD symptoms, when other forms of violence (i.e., T1 and T2 IPV, MST, IPS) were controlled. Conclusions: When added to models including other forms of IPV, women who experienced IPS reported increased risk for PTSD symptoms, which predicted heightened PTSD symptoms over time. Providers treating women veterans should assess for experiences of IPS as an additional form of IPV and address PTSD to prevent the development of subsequent comorbid psychopathology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
Publisher/Sponsoring Organization:
American Psychological Association
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Keywords:
intimacy, intimate partner violence, major depression, mental health, military veterans, posttraumatic stress disorder, stalking, symptoms
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
REACH Newsletter: