Psychological Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Risk Behavior: Examining the Role of Distinct Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in the Partner Violence-Sexual Risk Link

Nicole M. Overstreet; Tiara C. Willie; Julianne C. Hellmuth; Tami P. Sullivan

doi:10.1016/j.whi.2014.10.005

Psychological Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Risk Behavior: Examining the Role of Distinct Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in the Partner Violence-Sexual Risk Link

Nicole M. Overstreet
, Tiara C. Willie
, Julianne C. Hellmuth
, Tami P. Sullivan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Research has examined how physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization increases sexual risk behavior, yet research is lacking on 1) the effect of psychological IPV on sexual risk behavior and 2) factors through which psychological IPV may be linked to sexual risk behavior. Methods: The current study examined the relationship between psychological IPV and sexual risk behavior controlling for other forms of IPV (i.e., physical and sexual) in a sample of 186 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative community women currently experiencing IPV. Further, this study examined the potential mediating effects of four posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity clusters (i.e., re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal) on this relationship. Findings: Results revealed that greater severity of psychological IPV was uniquely and directly related to greater sexual risk behavior. Additionally, of the four PTSD symptom severity clusters, only avoidance symptom severity mediated the relationship between psychological IPV and sexual risk behavior. Conclusion: Implications for addressing psychological IPV and PTSD to improve women's sexual health outcomes are discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	73-78
Number of pages	6
Journal	Women's Health Issues
Volume	25
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2014.10.005
State	Published - Jan 1 2015
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health(social science)
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Maternity and Midwifery

Access to Document

10.1016/j.whi.2014.10.005

Cite this

Psychological Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Risk Behavior: Examining the Role of Distinct Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in the Partner Violence-Sexual Risk Link. / Overstreet, Nicole M.; Willie, Tiara C.; Hellmuth, Julianne C. et al.
In: Women's Health Issues, Vol. 25, No. 1, 01.01.2015, p. 73-78.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

@article{8acd5421ca3349fe9e829d7233b2e412,

title = "Psychological Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Risk Behavior: Examining the Role of Distinct Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in the Partner Violence-Sexual Risk Link",

abstract = "Background: Research has examined how physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization increases sexual risk behavior, yet research is lacking on 1) the effect of psychological IPV on sexual risk behavior and 2) factors through which psychological IPV may be linked to sexual risk behavior. Methods: The current study examined the relationship between psychological IPV and sexual risk behavior controlling for other forms of IPV (i.e., physical and sexual) in a sample of 186 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative community women currently experiencing IPV. Further, this study examined the potential mediating effects of four posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity clusters (i.e., re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal) on this relationship. Findings: Results revealed that greater severity of psychological IPV was uniquely and directly related to greater sexual risk behavior. Additionally, of the four PTSD symptom severity clusters, only avoidance symptom severity mediated the relationship between psychological IPV and sexual risk behavior. Conclusion: Implications for addressing psychological IPV and PTSD to improve women's sexual health outcomes are discussed.",

author = "Overstreet, \{Nicole M.\} and Willie, \{Tiara C.\} and Hellmuth, \{Julianne C.\} and Sullivan, \{Tami P.\}",

note = "Funding Information: The research described here was supported, in part, by grants from the Office of Research on Women's Health, National Institute of Child and Human Development ( K12HD055885 ), National Institute on Drug Abuse ( R03 DA17668 ; T32DA019426 ) and the National Institute of Mental Health ( T32MH020031 ). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health.",

year = "2015",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.whi.2014.10.005",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "25",

pages = "73--78",

journal = "Women's Health Issues",

issn = "1049-3867",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychological Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Risk Behavior

T2 - Examining the Role of Distinct Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in the Partner Violence-Sexual Risk Link

AU - Overstreet, Nicole M.

AU - Willie, Tiara C.

AU - Hellmuth, Julianne C.

AU - Sullivan, Tami P.

N1 - Funding Information: The research described here was supported, in part, by grants from the Office of Research on Women's Health, National Institute of Child and Human Development ( K12HD055885 ), National Institute on Drug Abuse ( R03 DA17668 ; T32DA019426 ) and the National Institute of Mental Health ( T32MH020031 ). Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health.

PY - 2015/1/1

Y1 - 2015/1/1

N2 - Background: Research has examined how physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization increases sexual risk behavior, yet research is lacking on 1) the effect of psychological IPV on sexual risk behavior and 2) factors through which psychological IPV may be linked to sexual risk behavior. Methods: The current study examined the relationship between psychological IPV and sexual risk behavior controlling for other forms of IPV (i.e., physical and sexual) in a sample of 186 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative community women currently experiencing IPV. Further, this study examined the potential mediating effects of four posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity clusters (i.e., re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal) on this relationship. Findings: Results revealed that greater severity of psychological IPV was uniquely and directly related to greater sexual risk behavior. Additionally, of the four PTSD symptom severity clusters, only avoidance symptom severity mediated the relationship between psychological IPV and sexual risk behavior. Conclusion: Implications for addressing psychological IPV and PTSD to improve women's sexual health outcomes are discussed.

AB - Background: Research has examined how physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization increases sexual risk behavior, yet research is lacking on 1) the effect of psychological IPV on sexual risk behavior and 2) factors through which psychological IPV may be linked to sexual risk behavior. Methods: The current study examined the relationship between psychological IPV and sexual risk behavior controlling for other forms of IPV (i.e., physical and sexual) in a sample of 186 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative community women currently experiencing IPV. Further, this study examined the potential mediating effects of four posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity clusters (i.e., re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, and hyperarousal) on this relationship. Findings: Results revealed that greater severity of psychological IPV was uniquely and directly related to greater sexual risk behavior. Additionally, of the four PTSD symptom severity clusters, only avoidance symptom severity mediated the relationship between psychological IPV and sexual risk behavior. Conclusion: Implications for addressing psychological IPV and PTSD to improve women's sexual health outcomes are discussed.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84918570022

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84918570022#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1016/j.whi.2014.10.005

DO - 10.1016/j.whi.2014.10.005

M3 - Article

C2 - 25498762

AN - SCOPUS:84918570022

SN - 1049-3867

VL - 25

SP - 73

EP - 78

JO - Women's Health Issues

JF - Women's Health Issues

IS - 1

ER -

Psychological Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Risk Behavior: Examining the Role of Distinct Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in the Partner Violence-Sexual Risk Link

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this