Poster #16 - A Latent Profile Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence Characteristics and Associations with Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

• In Event: Poster Session 08

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a potentially traumatic experience that increases risk for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Individuals between the ages of 18-25 are at highest risk of onset of IPV and high risk for the development of psychopathology (Smith et al., 2018; Pedrelli et al., 2015; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). However, there is considerable heterogeneity in PTSS severity among IPV-exposed samples (Hebenstreit, 2015). IPV describes physical, psychological, and sexual abuse inflicted by an intimate partner (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Economic IPV is another type of abuse that may be prevalent and co-occurring with other forms of IPV (Yau et al., 2021). Research on IPV has only examined how different characteristics of IPV exposure have independently related to PTSS severity, specifically type (physical, psychological, economic, sexual), frequency (number of incidents), severity (minor, severe), and mode (in-person, online). However, it may be important to examine how the integration of these characteristics differ across experiences of IPV to understand women’s PTSS. The current study aims to integrate these characteristics to assess profiles of IPV and the relevant associations with PTSS. Based on prior research, a four-profile model is hypothesized: one profile characterized by high frequency across all types, severity and modes; another characterized predominantly by frequent sexual violence; a profile compromised of online violence only; and finally, a profile characterized by frequent mild psychological violence occurring in-person and online. Additionally, profiles of IPV are hypothesized to be associated with past-month PTSS in that profiles characterized by severe IPV will be associated with higher levels of PTSS severity. Finally, profiles characterized by higher frequencies of sexual violence are expected to be associated with greater PTSS.



498 women between the ages of 18-24 were recruited as part of a greater longitudinal study examining the relationship between psychopathology following exposure to IPV and/or sexual assault in the past year. A subsample of 265 women (Mage=20.41, SD=2.99) with histories of past-year IPV were selected for the current study. The majority (58.5%) of this sample identified as White and 41.3% of participants identified as a racial/ethnic minority. The CTS-2 (Straus, 1990), SEA-2 (Adams et al., 2020), CPA (Leisring & Giumetti, 2014) were used to measure the IPV types, frequency, severity, and modes . The PCL-5 (Weathers et al., 2013) was used to assess past-month PTSS.



Profiles of IPV across characteristics of IPV (type, severity, frequency, and mode) will be identified with latent profile analysis (LPA). Six indicators will be used to identify profiles of IPV: past-year frequency of physical violence, past-year frequency of psychological abuse, past-year frequency of sexual violence, past-year frequency of economic abuse, past-year frequency of online abuse, and a dichotomous indicator of past-year IPV severity (severe/mild). We will use MPlus to estimate three-, four, and five-profile solutions. The best-fitting model will be selected using the Bayesian Information Criteria and Lo-Mendel-Rubin likelihood ratio test (Nylund, Asparouhov, & Muthén, 2007; Lee, Kim, Taylor, & Perron, 2011). To address the second research question, multiple regression will be conducted using profile membership to predict PTSS.

Authors

• Ana Uribe, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  Presenting Author

• Minji Lee, University of Massachusetts Amherst

• Colin T Mahoney, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

• Maria M. Galano, University of Massachusetts Amherst