Intimate partner violence and psychological well-being: Do housing conditions moderate the effects?

Prior studies link intimate partner violence (IPV) to poor mental health, especially among those with low socioeconomic status or limited support. However, few have explored how housing conditions may moderate these psychological effects. This study investigates the relationship between IPV and psychological well-being, with a particular focus on two outcomes: depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. It also examines whether housing conditions amplify or mitigate individuals' psychological responses to IPV. Data were drawn from the 2008 to 2022 Korea Welfare Panel Study (n = 14,350 married individuals). We employed an individual fixed-effects model to examine the relationship between IPV and psychological well-being. Housing physical conditions, housing tenure, and housing cost burden were evaluated as potential moderators. IPV is strongly associated with increased depressive symptoms and decreased life satisfaction. The impact of IPV on depressive symptoms is particularly pronounced among IPV survivors who live in inadequate housing conditions, rent their homes, and experience a housing cost burden. However, we did not find evidence that housing physical conditions or housing tenure moderate the association between IPV and life satisfaction; only housing cost burden showed a moderating effect. Our findings demonstrate that IPV significantly decreases psychological well-being among individuals facing housing-related challenges. These results underscore the importance of interventions that address both IPV and housing instability to improve mental health outcomes, highlighting the critical role of stable, safe, and affordable housing for survivors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).