Psychopathology and Personal-Relationship Problems of Female Victims of Family Violence

With the consider of a devastating effects of family violence and consequences, this study aimed at determining Psychopathology and Personal-Relationship Problems in women who were victim in a family violent relationship. This study was a family violence survey with a cross sectional method. Subjects were selected through a multi-cluster sampling method. At first, 4 regions (2, 5, 12, and 18) of Teheran were randomly selected as the main clusters of research, Then Public, entertainment centers and family court of these 4 regions were recognized as the second-rank clusters. Final participants were selected randomly from the above centers (N=230 couples). At first they were interviewed to determine if all the subjects were married, having ability to read and write, living in Teheran at the time of the study and finally having tendency to participate in the study. If the subjects reported any kind of substance abuse at the time of the study or they had apparent psychotic features, they were excluded from the research. After interview and sign the consent forms they completed Conflict Tactics Scales-2, Personal -Relationship Profile and Symptoms Check list-90-Revised. Based on their response (more victims were determined by reporting violence in scale) to Conflict Tactics Scales-2they devided (M+2S), in to two groups (victim and non- victim) then their psychopathological profiles and their personal and relationship problems were compared. Women were considered as non-victim (no violence or low violence) because of their reports in Conflict Tactics Scales-2. As it was said based on calculated cut-off point research data of CTS-2 was used to divide the samples in to two groups (victims and non-victims).Then two groups were compared in regard to their responses to research questionnaires.Based on the data on Symptoms Check list-90-Revised and Personal -Relationship Profile it showed that family violence was associated with psychopathology and excessive personal and relationship problems in victim women. It means that victim women in compare with non-victim women had more severe psychological symptoms and more personal and relationship problems. They were different in SCI-90-R subscales. These scales were consisted of Somatization Symptoms, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Depression symptoms, Paranoid Ideation, and Positive Symptoms Total. The results also showed the great differences between victim and non-victim women in personal and relationship profiles. They were different mostly based on these subscales of Personal and Relationship Profiles: Anger Management, Borderline Personality Symptoms, Antisocial Personality Symptoms, Conflict, Depressive Symptoms, Gender Hostility, Negative Attribution, Relationship Commitment, Communication Problems, Social Integration and finally Substance Abuse History. Although with the methodology of this study it is impossible to say these differences are primary or secondary to violence, but it would be possible to consider some of these differences as factors which cause some vulnerability to violence and some as consequences of violence. It means that some factors which are related to past history and the women bring them to a couple relationship (such as personal sensitivity) may cause a vulnerability to violence and some factors should be considered as consequences of violence.