Perpetration of intimate partner violence and mental health outcomes: sex- and gender-disaggregated associations among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria

Abstract

Perpetration of intimate partner violence and mental health outcomes: sex-and genderdisaggregated associations among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria Background The association between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimisation and poor mental health outcomes is well established. Less is known about the correlation between IPV perpetration and mental health, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Using data from the nationally representative Violence Against Children Survey, this analysis examines the association between IPV perpetration and mental health for male and female adolescents and young adults in Nigeria. Methods Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine associations between ever-perpetration of IPV and four self-reported mental health variables: severe sadness, feelings of worthlessness, suicide ideation, and alcohol use. Models were sex-disaggregated, controlled for age, marital status, and schooling, and tested with and without past exposure to violence. Standard errors were adjusted for sampling stratification and clustering. Observations were weighted to be representative of 13-24 yearolds in Nigeria. Results Males were nearly twice as likely as females to perpetrate IPV (9% v. 5%, respectively; P < 0.001), while odds of perpetration for both sexes were higher for those ever experiencing IPV (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.60 for males; aOR = 2.71 for females). Female perpetrators had 2.73 higher odds of reporting severe sadness (95% confidence interval CI = 1.44, 5.17; P = 0.002) and 2.72 times greater odds of reporting suicide ideation (1.28, 5.79; P = 0.010) than non-perpetrating females, even when controlling for past-year violence victimisation. In contrast, male perpetrators had 2.65 times greater odds of feeling worthless (1.09, 6.43; P = 0.031), and 2.36 times greater odds of reporting alcohol use in the last 30 days (1.50, 3.73; P < 0.001), as compared to non-perpetrating males. Conclusions Among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria, IPV perpetration and negative mental health outcomes are associated but differ for males and females. Mindful of the cross-sectional nature of the data, it is possible that socially determined gender norms may shape the ways in which distress from IPV perpetration is understood and expressed. Additional research is needed to clarify these associations and inform violence prevention efforts. Electronic supplementary material: The online version of this article contains supplementary material.

Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health: Sex-Disaggregated Associations Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Uganda

“…This study utilized a sex-disaggregation method employed in a previous study (Stark et al, 2020) that used VACS data from Nigeria to assess the associations between perpetration of IPV and mental health outcomes for male and female adolescents and young adults while also controlling for exposure to violence, age, and education. Table 1 provides the operationalization of IPV perpetration and forms of violence exposure.…”

“…Regarding mental health correlates, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), antisocial personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder have been shown to be associated both with IPV perpetration and victimization among men. For women, borderline personality disorder has been shown to be a stronger correlate with IPV perpetration than victimization, whereas PTSD has been shown to be a stronger correlate with victimization than perpetration (Stark et al, 2020).…”

“…More evidence is required to understand the ways in which sex, IPV perpetration and victimization, and mental health outcomes are associated in the African context. To fill this gap in the literature, a recently published study from Nigeria assessed sex-disaggregated associations between IPV perpetration, IPV victimization, and mental health outcomes among adolescents and young adults using data from the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS; Stark et al, 2020). The study found that males' perpetration of IPV was significantly associated with feelings of worthlessness and alcohol use.…”

Análise dos casos de violência sexual de adolescentes escolares

“…En este contexto, la mayoría de los estudios establecen una alta probabilidad de que el agresor sea un hombre, especialmente cuando existe una relación íntima (10,23) como se afirma en un estudio realizado en Nigeria, en el que los hombres tenían el doble de probabilidades de cometer violencia sexual cuando en comparación con las mujeres (24) .…”

“…Es probable que los acosadores desarrollen problemas de salud mental, ya que la perpetración por parte de la pareja íntima está fuertemente asociada con el desarrollo de tristeza severa e ideación suicida en las agresoras femeninas, y sentimientos de inutilidad y mayor consumo de alcohol por parte de los agresores masculinos (24) . Mientras que las víctimas están constantemente envueltas por sentimientos negativos, expresando clínicamente síntomas relacionados con la depresión, la ansiedad y el estrés postraumático (21) .…”