Study: People with mental disorders more likely to have experienced domestic violence

December 26, 2012 in Psychology & Psychiatry

Men and women with mental health disorders, across all diagnoses, are more likely to have experienced domestic violence than the general population, according to new research from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, in collaboration with the University of Bristol. Previous studies into the link between domestic violence and mental health problems have mainly focused on depression, but this is the first study to look at a wide range of mental health problems in both male and female victims.

In this study, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and published today in , researchers reviewed data from 41 studies worldwide. Compared to women without , women with depressive disorders were around 2 and a ½ times more likely to have experienced over their adult lifetime (prevalence estimate 45.8%); women with were over 3 and a ½ times more likely (prevalence estimate 27.6%); and women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were around 7 times more likely (prevalence estimate 61.0%).

Women with other disorders including (OCD), eating disorders, common mental health problems, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were also at an increased risk of domestic violence compared to women without mental health problems. Men with all types of mental disorders were also at an increased risk of domestic violence. However, prevalence estimates for men were lower than those for women, indicating that it is less common for men to be victims of repeated severe domestic violence.

Professor Louise Howard, senior author of the study from King's Institute of Psychiatry, says: "In this study, we found that both men and women with mental health problems are at an increased risk of domestic violence. The evidence suggests that there are two things happening: domestic violence can often lead to victims developing mental health problems, and people with mental health problems are more likely to experience domestic violence."

This study is part of PROVIDE, a 5-year research programme on domestic violence funded by NIHR. Professor Gene Feder, co-author of the study from the University of Bristol's School of Social and Community Medicine and chief investigator of PROVIDE says: "We hope this review will draw attention to the mental health needs of survivors of domestic violence and remind general practitioners and mental health teams that experience of domestic violence may lie behind the presentation of mental health problems."

Internationally, the of physical and/or sexual partner violence among women ranges from 15-71%. In the UK, the 2010/11 British Crime Survey reported that 27% of women and 17% of men had experienced partner abuse during their lifetime, with women experiencing more repeated and severe violence than men. From March 2013, the UK Home Office will be amending its definition of domestic violence to include 16 and 17 year olds, and will be defined as "any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to, psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse."

Professor Howard concludes: "Mental health professionals need to be aware of the link between domestic violence and mental , and ensure that their patients are safe from domestic violence and are treated for the impact of such abuse."

More information: Trevillion, K. et al. 'Experiences of domestic violence and mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis' PLOS ONE, dx.plos.org/10.137… pone.0051740

Journal reference: PLoS ONE search and more info website

Provided by King's College London search and more info website

5 /5 (2 votes)  

Filter


Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.


Display comments: newest first

PoppaJ
Dec 26, 2012

Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
I really really hope no taxpayer money went into this.
Marquette
Dec 27, 2012

Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
In a related study, researchers found that people who comment on science news articles solely to complain about "taxpayer money" suffer from the condition known as assholism.
Rank 5 /5 (2 votes)
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

Weather worries can threaten a child's mental health

(HealthDay)—The monstrous tornado that devastated Moore, Okla., on Monday, killing dozens of adults and children, is a stunning example of violent weather that can affect a child's mental well-being.

Psychology & Psychiatry created 8 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Teens exposed to schoolmate's death by suicide much more likely to consider or attempt suicide

Youth who had a schoolmate die by suicide are significantly more likely to consider or attempt suicide, according to a study in published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). This effect can last 2 years or mo ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created 12 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Genetic predictors of postpartum depression uncovered

Johns Hopkins researchers say they have discovered specific chemical alterations in two genes that, when present during pregnancy, reliably predict whether a woman will develop postpartum depression.

Psychology & Psychiatry created 20 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Mediterranean diet seems to boost ageing brain power

A Mediterranean diet with added extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts seems to improve the brain power of older people better than advising them to follow a low-fat diet, indicates research published online in the Journal of ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created May 20, 2013 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (2) | comments 2

The incidence of eating disorders is increasing in the UK

More people are being diagnosed with eating disorders every year and the most common type is not either of the two most well known—bulimia or anorexia—but eating disorders not otherwise specified (eating disorders that ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


If you can remember it, you can remember it wrong

(Medical Xpress)—Native peoples in regions where cameras are uncommon sometimes react with caution when their picture is taken. The fear that something must have been stolen from them to create the photo ...

B vitamins could delay dementia

(Medical Xpress)—Despite spending billions of dollars on research and development, drug companies have been unable to come up with effective treatments for dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Now, A. ...

New sleeping pill poised to hit US markets

An experimental sleeping pill from US drug company Merck is effective at helping people fall and stay asleep, according to reviewers at the US Food and Drug Administration, which could soon approve the new drug.

Reducing caloric intake delays nerve cell loss

Activating an enzyme known to play a role in the anti-aging benefits of calorie restriction delays the loss of brain cells and preserves cognitive function in mice, according to a study published in the May ...

Insight into the dazzling impact of insulin in cells

Australian scientists have charted the path of insulin action in cells in precise detail like never before. This provides a comprehensive blueprint for understanding what goes wrong in diabetes.

Antidepressant reduces stress-induced heart condition

A drug commonly used to treat depression and anxiety may improve a stress-related heart condition in people with stable coronary heart disease, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.