Suicidality and Doubt Regarding Abuse-Related Appraisals Among Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) face an increased risk of suicidal ideation and behavior. The dynamics inherent to IPV, often characterized by manipulation and coercion, along with the psychological defense mechanisms activated during abuse, may hinder survivors' ability to confidently appraise the abuse, their subjective experiences, and the perpetrator. This unexplored phenomenon, referred to as doubt regarding abuse-related appraisals (DARA), can amplify survivors' confusion, obstruct trauma recovery, and heighten vulnerability to suicidality. The present study is the first to examine (1) the associations between DARA, suicide risk, and suicidal ideation, and (2) the unique contribution of DARA in explaining suicide risk and suicidal ideation beyond sociodemographic factors, IPV exposure, polyvictimization, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. An online survey was conducted with a convenience sample of female adults, comprising 772 women aged 19 to 70 years (M = 34.88, SD = 8.94), including 401 women who reported experiencing IPV. Participants completed self-report measures assessing DARA, suicide risk and suicidal ideation, PTSD symptoms, sociodemographic factors, and IPV features. Findings revealed that participants exposed to IPV exhibited elevated suicide risk and suicidal ideation compared to those not exposed. Significant associations were identified between components of DARA, suicide risk, and suicidal ideation. Furthermore, regression analyses indicated that doubt regarding the abuse explained suicide risk and suicidal ideation, beyond the contributions of sociodemographic factors, IPV features, and PTSD symptoms. These findings underscore the critical role of DARA-particularly the doubt concerning the abuse-in understanding suicidality among IPV survivors, with important implications for assessment and clinical intervention.