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Objective: This study aimed to determine the impact of lifetime physical, psychological, and
sexual intimate male partner violence (IPV) on the mental health of women, after controlling
for the contribution of lifetime victimization. The comorbidity of depressive symptoms and
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their relation to state anxiety and suicide were also
assessed.
Methods: Physically/psychologically (n 75) and psychologically abused women (n 55)
were compared with nonabused control women (n 52). Information about sociodemographic
characteristics, lifetime victimization, and mental health status (depressive and state anxiety
symptoms, PTSD, and suicide) was obtained through face-to-face structured interviews.
Results: Women exposed to physical/psychological and psychological IPV had a higher incidence
and severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms, PTSD, and thoughts of suicide than
control women, with no differences between the two abused groups. The concomitance of
sexual violence was associated with a higher severity of depressive symptoms in both abused
groups and a higher incidence of suicide attempts in the physically/psychologically abused
group. The incidence of PTSD alone was very rare, and depressive symptoms were either
alone or comorbid with PTSD. The severity of state anxiety was higher in abused women
with depressive symptoms or comorbidity, as was the incidence of suicidal thoughts in the
physically/psychologically abused group. Lifetime victimization was not a predictor of the
deterioration of mental health in this study.
Conclusions: These findings indicate that psychological IPV is as detrimental as physical
IPV, with the exception of effects on suicidality, which emphasizes that psychological IPV
should be considered a major type of violence by all professionals involved.
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