Abstract
Young adults are more likely to experience intimate partner violence (IPV) than older adults. Little is known about the effect
of confiding to others about sustained violence on the mental health of victims. The objective of this study was to explore
the links between IPV, help-seeking behaviors and psychological distress by gender in a sample of 233 young couples.Our results
indicate the frequency of sustained psychological violence, but not physical violence, was positively associated to distress.
For women, seeking help from a greater number of confidents moderated the association between violence and psychological distress.
For men, results showed that frequencies of physical and psychological violence were both positively linked to distress. However,
unlike women, social support had no buffering effect on men’s distress. These findings increase our understanding of the effects
of social support on young adults’ distress following episodes of IPV.
of confiding to others about sustained violence on the mental health of victims. The objective of this study was to explore
the links between IPV, help-seeking behaviors and psychological distress by gender in a sample of 233 young couples.Our results
indicate the frequency of sustained psychological violence, but not physical violence, was positively associated to distress.
For women, seeking help from a greater number of confidents moderated the association between violence and psychological distress.
For men, results showed that frequencies of physical and psychological violence were both positively linked to distress. However,
unlike women, social support had no buffering effect on men’s distress. These findings increase our understanding of the effects
of social support on young adults’ distress following episodes of IPV.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10896-011-9402-4
- Authors
- Isabel Fortin, School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Stéphane Guay, School of Criminology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Vicky Lavoie, School of Psychology, Laval University, Québec, Canada
- Jean-Marie Boisvert, School of Psychology, Laval University, Québec, Canada
- Madeleine Beaudry, School of Social Work, Laval University, Québec, Canada
- Journal Journal of Family Violence
- Online ISSN 1573-2851
- Print ISSN 0885-7482