"Intimate partner violence against women: Psychopathological consequences for mother and child survivors"

Backgroundthis study analyses psychopathological symptomatology and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in victims of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) and examines the presence of school, behavioural and emotional problems in their children.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to (1) analyse psychopathological symptomatology and PTSD in women survivors of IPVAW, in comparison to women unexposed; (2) analyse the connection between the experience of this type of violence and the presence of psychopathological symptomatology and PTSD; (3) examine the presence of school, behavioural and emotional problems in the children of women survivors of IPVAW compared to the children of unexposed women; and to (4) examine the relationship between psychopathological symptomatology in women survivors of IPVAW and the presence of school, behavioural and emotional problems in their children.DesignA cross-sectional comparative study. Participants were recruited through Women's Care Institutions (experimental group) and schools (control group).MethodThe sample included 29 women survivors of IPVAW and 30 non-exposed women, along with their respective children (n = 60). Maternal psychopathology was assessed with the SCL-90-R and ITQ; violence exposure with the CAS-R-SF; and children's behavioural, emotional and school outcomes with the BASC-3.ResultsWomen survivors of IPVAW and their children present significantly more psychopathological symptoms compared to women and children unexposed to this violence. Furthermore, a relationship was found between the symptomatology in mothers and school, behavioural and emotional problems of their children.ConclusionIPVAW has a broad psychopathological impact on both survivors and their children. This study shows the importance of specifically working on psychological intervention with both.