A Longitudinal Examination of Domestic Violence and Psychological Distress for Australian Women

Whilst there is evidence suggesting that women have worse mental health outcomes after experiencing domestic violence (DV), there is a lack of investigation into the long-term effects of DV on psychological distress and risk factors that may exacerbate poor outcomes. To address this evidence gap, the current study analysed national data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health in relation to DV, psychological distress and potential risk factors for Australian women. Participants (n = 4,156) completed a pre and post DV Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), DV measure, and measures of low self-esteem, financial stress, area of residence and perceived social support. Linear regression and linear regression with interaction effects were utilised for the analyses. The study found that experiencing DV was associated with greater psychological distress after experiencing DV when compared to participants who did not experience DV (B = 2.45, 95% CI [2.04, 2.86]). Risk factors of low self-esteem (B = 1.04, 95% CI [0.28, 1.80]) and financial stress (B = 1.52, 95% CI [0.26, 2.79]) were also associated with increased psychological distress after DV. However, contrary to expectations, there was no evidence that low social support (B = 1.66, 95% CI [-0.66, 3.98]) or remote area of residence (B = -0.52, 95% CI [-1.97, 0.94]) increased psychological distress. These findings highlight a temporal order of events, with experiencing DV being related to higher psychological distress over several years, which may be exacerbated by low self-esteem and financial stress. Recommendations for policy development include adopting a holistic approach that considers supporting financial wellbeing and enhancing self-esteem for women after experiencing DV. Future research should investigate the role of social support and area of residence as factors associated with differing psychological distress outcomes for women who experience DV.