Characteristics of male spouse abusers consistent with personality disorders

Challenges of recognition of the psychiatric aspects of intimate partner violence

Background:

Even though intimate partner violence represents a major public health problem in Nigeria, much of its associated burden of psychiatric morbidity presenting in the clinical setting goes unrecognized and untreated.

Objectives:

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the psychiatric perspectives on intimate partner violence and highlight the barriers that militate against the detection of these problems in clinical contexts.

Method:

This paper utilized the framework of relevant case series and a focused review of the relevant literature to describe and annotate the psychiatric problems of the victims and perpetrators of intimate partner violence in southeast Nigeria.

Results:

The major barriers to detection of the psychiatric disorders occurring in the context of intimate partner violence include patients’ feelings of shame, reticence about the abuse experiences in the clinical encounter, and cloaking of their emotional distress in somatic complaints. Also, the poor interviewing skills of many doctors and their difficulty in processing psychosocial matters contributes to the non-detection of psychiatric problems occurring in the context of partner violence.

Conclusion:

Concerted efforts directed towards the improved detection, treatment and/or referral of patients presenting with these difficulties will enhance their wellbeing and quality of life.

Triple jeopardy: impact of partner violence perpetration, mental health and substance use on perceived unmet need for mental health care among men

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, serious mental illness, and substance use and perceived unmet need for mental health treatment in the past year among men in the general population using the behavioral model for health-care use (Aday and Anderson in Health Serv Res 9:208-220, 1974; Andersen in A behavioral model of families' use of health services, 1968; Andersen in Med Care 46:647-653, 2008).

METHODS

Non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white males aged 18-49 years and cohabiting with a spouse/partner were included in this analysis of the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression.

RESULTS

The proportion of men reporting unmet treatment need was greater among IPV perpetrators than nonperpetrators (12.1 vs. 3.4%, respectively). Hazardous drinking, illicit drug use, alcohol and drug abuse/dependence, and SMI were also more common among perpetrators. Perpetrators were twice as likely to report unmet need for treatment after taking predisposing, enabling, and need factors into account (AOR 2.00, CI 1.13-3.55). Alcohol abuse/dependence (AOR 2.96, CI 1.79-4.90), drug abuse/dependence (AOR, 1.79, CI 1.01-3.17), substance abuse treatment (AOR 3.09, CI 1.18-8.09), and SMI (AOR 8.46, CI 5.53-12.94) were independently associated with perceived unmet need for treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that men who perpetrate IPV are at increased risk of perceived unmet need for mental health care. This study also emphasizes the need to identify substance use disorders and mental health problems among IPV perpetrators identified in health, social service, or criminal justice settings. Further research should address barriers to care specific to men who perpetrate IPV beyond economic factors.

Preventing HIV, eliminating disparities among Hispanics in the United States

HIV/AIDS has disproportionately impacted Hispanics/Latinos in the United States. This literature review focuses on the disparities that exist in the impact of HIV/AIDS across Hispanic subgroups. Elimination of these disparities requires attention to underlying biological, behavioral and psychological, social and cultural, and economic and structural factors. Attention to factors within these domains has important implications for the reduction of other health-related disparities that exist across Hispanic/Latino subgroups in the United States.

A population based study of reporting patterns and characteristics of men who abuse their female partners

OBJECTIVE

This study estimates the prevalence of male abusive behavior reported by men and their female partners and identifies characteristics of abusive men.

DESIGN

Baseline survey from a population based cohort study of general health.

SETTING

A rural county in Iowa, USA.

SUBJECTS

572 men and their cohabitating female partners.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Male-to-female physical, emotional, and sexual abuse reported by either partner.

RESULTS

In this cohort, 13.6% of men had performed at least one act of physical abuse and 34.9% emotional abuse. More than 45% of abusive men reported their own behaviors. Alcohol problems, antisocial personality characteristics, depressive symptoms, and financial stress were all positively associated with both physical and emotional abuse, but suicidal thoughts were less likely among abusers.

CONCLUSION

Identification of common characteristics of abusive men may predict proclivity towards partner violence and barriers to behavior modification.

Psychopathological profile of men convicted of gender violence: a study in the prisons of Spain

In this article, a description of the demographic, penal, and psychopathological characteristics of 54 men who are in prison because of having committed a serious offense of gender violence was carried out. Furthermore, a comparison of all the variables studied between the participants with homicide and those without homicide was done. The results showed the existence of irrational beliefs both about women and violence as a strategy to cope with everyday difficulties, as well as a general inadaptation to daily life. However, from a psychopathological point of view, in spite of not observing a high degree of symptomatology in the sample, the psychiatric and penal antecedents and current emotional instability were much more frequent and severe in people who had not committed homicide. Therefore, two possible differential profiles among the violent men are presented.