Intimate Partner Violence, COVID-19 Stressors, and Intersectionality During the Perinatal Period: Dissecting the...

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• Public health
• Sociology of health

Background:

• Intimate partner violence (IPV) and associated stressors escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Perinatal women faced unique vulnerabilities during this period.
• Understanding the interplay of IPV, psychosocial factors, and pandemic-related stressors is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and psychosocial correlates in perinatal women.
• To investigate the impact of COVID-19 stressors on IPV experiences.
• To identify sociodemographic factors influencing perinatal IPV risk.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 122 pregnant and postpartum women in a clinical trial was analyzed.
• Baseline data on partner abuse (physical, emotional/sexual, severe, harassment) and sociodemographic variables were collected.
• Associations between IPV, psychosocial measures (Positive Affect, Well Being, Emotional Support, Empowerment, Self-Efficacy), and COVID-19 stressors were investigated, including an exploratory analysis of education and employment intersections.

Main Results:

• Participants with higher COVID-19-related stress reported more emotional abuse (p=0.04).
• Partner emotional abuse was inversely correlated with Emotional Support (r=-0.26, p=0.004).
• Perinatal women with part-time employment and less than a high school diploma reported the most abuse; ethnicity, pregnancy status, and education were associated with severe abuse.

Conclusions:

• Greater emotional abuse is associated with increased COVID-19-related stress and reduced emotional support.
• Overlapping sociodemographic characteristics significantly impact perinatal IPV risk.
• Findings suggest directions for future research on interventions and support for vulnerable perinatal populations.