Journal Article

Pre-marital predictors of marital violence in the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys

Williams, David R, Andrade, Laura Helena, Stein, Dan J, Navarro-Mateu, Fernando, Cia, Alfredo H, de, Girolamo Giovanni, Al-Kaisy, Mohammed Salih, Bruffaerts Ronny, Cardoso Graça, Kessler, Ronald C, Hinkov Hristo, Levinson Daphna, Borges Guilherme, Bromet, Evelyn J, Viana, Maria Carmen, Huang Yueqin, Kiejna Andrzej, Medina-Mora, Maria Elena, Scott, Kate M, Kawakami Norito, Chi-yi, Hu, Alonso Jordi, King, Andrew, de Jonge Peter, Dinolova, Rumyana V, Oladeji, Bibilola D, Stagnaro, Juan Carlos, Whiteford, Harvey, Chiu, Wai Tat, Karam, Elie G, Fayyad, John, Williams, Michelle A, Piazza, Marina, Wojtyniak Bogdan, Beth-Ellen, Pennell, Posada-Villa, Jose, Petukhova, Maria, Benjet Corina, Lepine Jean-Pierre, Mneimneh Zeina, He, Yanling, Karam, Aimee Nasser, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Torres, Yolanda, Scott, Kate, Kovess-Masfety Viviane, Oye, Gureje, Sampson, Nancy A, Slade, Tim, Stokes, Cara M, McGrath, John, Bossarte, Robert M, Rapsey Charlene, Haro, Josep Maria, Chatterji Somnath, Have Margreet ten, Lukoye, Atwoli, Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Bunting, Brendan, Moskalewicz Jacek, Lee, Sing, Karam, Aimee N, Street, Amy, de Almeida

2020

Overview

PurposeIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health problem. Existing research has focused on reports from victims and few studies have considered pre-marital factors. The main objective of this study was to identify pre-marital predictors of IPV in the current marriage using information obtained from husbands and wives.MethodsData from were obtained from married heterosexual couples in six countries. Potential predictors included demographic and relationship characteristics, adverse childhood experiences, dating violence, and psychiatric disorders. Reports of IPV and other characteristics from husbands and wives were considered independently and in relation to spousal reports.ResultsOverall, 14.4% of women were victims of IPV in the current marriage. Analyses identified ten significant variables including age at first marriage (husband), education, relative number of previous marriages (wife), history of one or more categories of childhood adversity (husband or wife), history of dating violence (husband or wife), early initiation of sexual intercourse (husband or wife), and four combinations of internalizing and externalizing disorders. The final model was moderately predictive of marital violence, with the 5% of women accounting for 18.6% of all cases of marital IPV.ConclusionsResults from this study advance understanding of pre-marital predictors of IPV within current marriages, including the importance of considering differences in the experiences of partners prior to marriage and may provide a foundation for more targeted primary prevention efforts.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adverse childhood experiences / Adversity / Childhood / Childhood experiences / Childhood factors / Dating / Demographics / Demography / Disorders / Domestic violence / Externalizing problems / Health problems / Health research / Heterosexuality / Husbands / Internalization / Intimate partner violence / Marriage / Married couples / Mental disorders / Mental health / Methodological problems / Personal relationships / Prevention programs / Public health / Sexual intercourse / Spouses / Victims / Violence / Wives / Women