Depressive symptomatology as a predictor of exposure to intimate partner violence among US female adolescents and young adults

Citation

Lehrer, J. A.; Buka, S.; Gortmaker, S.; & Shrier, L. A. (2006). Depressive symptomatology as a predictor of exposure to intimate partner violence among US female adolescents and young adults. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. vol. 160 (3) pp. 270-276

Abstract


< Previous Article Next Article >
Article | March 2006
Depressive Symptomatology as a Predictor of Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence Among US Female Adolescents and Young Adults FREE
Jocelyn A. Lehrer, ScD; Stephen Buka, ScD; Steven Gortmaker, PhD; Lydia A. Shrier, MD, MPH
[+] Author Affiliations
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006;160(3):270-276. doi:10.1001/archpedi.160.3.270.
Text Size: A A A
Article
Figures
Tables
References
Comments
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT | METHODS | RESULTS | COMMENT | ARTICLE INFORMATION | REFERENCES

Objective To examine whether depressive symptomatology is predictive of subsequent intimate partner violence victimization among a national prospective sample of female adolescents and young adults.

Design Home interview data from 2 waves of the school-based National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were used to examine whether baseline depressive symptomatology was associated with increased risk of past-year exposure to physical abuse by a current partner at 5-year follow-up, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, parental education, retrospective childhood physical and sexual abuse, and baseline dating violence and forced sex.

Setting A stratified random sample of 80 US high schools and 52 middle schools.

Participants All young women (n = 1659) were in a current opposite-sex relationship at follow-up.

Main Exposure Baseline past-week depressive symptomatology, measured as both a dichotomous and continuous variable.

Main Outcome Measures Past-year exposure to mild and moderate to severe physical abuse by a current intimate partner.

Results In adjusted models with dichotomous depressive symptoms, high baseline symptom levels were associated with 1.86 times the odds of subsequent exposure to moderate to severe partner violence (95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.29). In adjusted models with continuous depressive symptoms, an increase of 1 SD in baseline symptom levels was associated with a 24% increase in odds of exposure to mild partner violence and a 24% increase in the odds of exposure to moderate to severe partner violence.

Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that depressive symptomatology among girls during adolescence is associated with increased risk of subsequent exposure to physical partner violence. Prevention, identification, and treatment of depressive symptomatology among adolescent girls may help to reduce the likelihood of subsequent victimization.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.160.3.270

Keyword(s)

Depression

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

Author(s)

Lehrer, J. A.
Buka, S.
Gortmaker, S.
Shrier, L. A.

Year Published

2006

Volume Number

160

Issue Number

3

Pages

270-276

ISSN/ISBN

1072-4710

DOI

10.1001/archpedi.160.3.270

Reference ID

569