Suicidal Behavior Among Low-Income, African American Female Victims of Intimate Terrorism and Situational Couple Violence

• Published in: Journal of interpersonal violence Vol. 26; no. 13; pp. 2568 - 2591
• Main Author: Leone, Janel M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.09.2011; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adult; African Americans; African Americans - psychology; African Americans - statistics & numerical data; Alcohol Abuse; At Risk Persons; Battered Women - psychology; Battered Women - statistics & numerical data; Behavior; Coercion; Comparative Analysis; Couples; Depression (Psychology); Domestic violence; Drug Abuse; Family Violence; Fear; Female; Females; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Intimacy; Low Income Groups; Males; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Partner Abuse; Post traumatic stress disorder; Poverty; Power (Psychology); Risk Factors; Self destructive behavior; Sexual Partners - psychology; Socioeconomic Factors; Spouse Abuse - psychology; Spouse Abuse - statistics & numerical data; Suicidal behavior; Suicide; Suicide - psychology; Suicide - statistics & numerical data; Suicides & suicide attempts; Symptoms; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Terrorism; Victimology; Victims; Violence; Women's Health; Young Adult; partner violence; suicidal behavior; coercive control; African American women; posttraumatic stress disorder
• ISSN: 0886-2605; 1552-6518
• DOI: 10.1177/0886260510388280

This study examined risk of suicidal behavior among low-income, African American women (N = 369) in three types of male intimate relationships— intimate terrorism (IT) (i.e., physical violence used within a general pattern of coercive control), situational couple violence (SCV; i.e., episodic physical violence that is not part of a general pattern of coercive control), and nonviolent (NV; i.e., no physical violence). IT victims had more than double the odds of suicidal behavior compared to SCV victims and this association remained significant after controlling for physical violence severity, depression symptoms, and alcohol and drug abuse. Risk of suicidal behavior was not significantly different for SCV victims compared to women in NV relationships. Findings emphasize the need for researchers and practitioners to distinguish between types of male partner violence when examining its context and consequences for female victims.