Correlations between self-reported symptoms and psychosocial factors of perpetrators with domestic violence in China: a population-based sample

Domestic violence (DV) is not only a devastating societal problem, but also a severe medical and mental health problem worldwide. Our previous study has shown that perpetrators were with higher prevalence of self-reported symptoms than that of controls. This study based on our former large scale population-based samples is aimed to further explore the correlations between the symptoms and psychosocial factors of the perpetrators with DV. It was helpful to provide some insight into possible strategies for clinicians to reduce the symptoms of the perpetrators with DV in China.

From our former population-based epidemiological samples, 1098 households with a history of DV in preceding year, 318 perpetrators with DV were randomly selected. Face-to-face interviews were conducted. Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) was administrated to check and classify the symptoms of perpetrators, Eysenck's personality questionnaire (EPQ), trait coping style questionnaire (TCSQ), life events scale (LES) and social supporting rating scale (SSRS) were administrated to evaluate the psychosocial factors of perpetrators. The correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationships between the symptoms and psychosocial factors of perpetrators of DV.

The global and all subscale scores of SCL-90 were significantly positively correlated with EPQ-N, negative TCSQ and negative LES scores (P < 0.01). The global score of SCL-90 was negatively correlated with both objective and subjective SSRS (P < 0.01). The negative LES and negative TCSQ were significantly positively correlated with EPQ-N (P < 0.01). Negative TCSQ was significantly positively correlated with negative LES and negatively correlated with subjective SSRS (P < 0.01).

The self-reported symptoms of perpetrators with DV were strongly correlated with their psychosocial factors, such as the neurotic personality, negative coping style, more negative life events and less subjective social supports. It suggested bio-psycho-socially oriented interventions were necessary to buffer the symptoms of perpetrators with DV.