Verbal Abuse as a Form of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): Exploring Academic Performance, Mental Health, Loneliness,...

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is multifaceted and concerning, particularly among postsecondary students. However, more subtle forms of IPV involving name calling, insults and/or belittling to undermine and/or manipulate one's partner may be minimized, and underexplored in the literature. In a cross-sectional study, data extracted from the National College Health Assessment-III (NCHA-III) survey administered to students at a large Atlantic Canadian university (N = 1,694; M_age = 26.6 years) were used to explore whether academic, mental health, relationship, and social support outcomes statistically vary by verbal IPV. Overall, verbal IPV was reported by 11.3% of the entire student sample, with two-factor Chi-square tests indicating no significant prevalence differences in sex, citizenship, and undergraduate/graduate status. However, relative to students not reporting verbal IPV, two-factor Chi-square tests indicated that academic problems, poorer mental health, loneliness/isolation, family/peer relationship challenges, and bullying/cyberbullying were significantly more likely among students reporting verbal IPV, regardless of student sex. Subsequent independent t-tests revealed significantly lower 'social integration' and 'reassurance of worth' subdomain levels among those reporting verbal IPV. Moreover, separate hierarchical regressions featuring female and male students reporting verbal IPV revealed that university belongingness, and social isolation were significant predictors of psychological distress among females, while age, university belongingness, and 'reassurance of worth' were significant predictors of psychological distress among males. These findings underscore the substantial and specific impact of verbal IPV on students' scholarly, psychological, and social/relationship functioning, and highlight the need for increased awareness, prevention, and trauma-informed support services within university settings. Implication of findings are considered.