Suicidal Ideation and Spousal Abuse

A study examining factors influencing suicidal ideation in a sample of victims of partner abuse living in shelters is presented in the May 2007 issue of Health Care for Women International.  Fifty women were recruited from a regional shelter for battered women in a Midwestern city in the United States.  Of the women sampled, fifty-eight percent reported having experienced intimate partner rape.  More than one-third of the sample confirmed experiencing suicidal ideation at least "some of the time" within the previous week. Experiencing intimate partner rape was significantly associated with suicidal ideation and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Results also revealed that both PTSD and depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between intimate partner rape and suicidal ideation.  The study results highlight the importance of assessing suicide risk in victims of spousal abuse.

Click here for the abstract.