Mental Health Status of Male Help-Seekers for Partner Violence Victimization

描述（由申请人提供）：来自全国家庭暴力调查（Straus & Gelles, 1990）的估计表明，在给定的一年内，12%的男性遭受亲密女性伴侣的身体攻击，4%的男性人口受到伴侣的严重攻击。此外，遭受亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）的男性占由IPV造成的所有伤害的40%，占失去工作时间的所有受害者的38%，占担心身体伤害的所有受害者的31%（根据全国暴力侵害妇女调查，Tjaden & Thoennes， 2000年计算）。初步研究表明，患有IPV的男性很可能有精神健康问题，包括抑郁、压力和心身症状。因此，在这个国家，针对男性的IPV可被视为一个重大的健康问题，但尚未有研究系统地调查因IPV受害而寻求帮助的男性的经历。也就是说，我们对男性求助者的IPV的预测因素知之甚少，他们的亲密伴侣关系的动态，或者维持IPV并寻求帮助的男性的心理健康问题。此外，由于对男子的IPV没有得到很好的认识，一些寻求帮助的男子报告说，在接受援助方面遇到了体制障碍，这可能加剧任何先前存在的精神健康问题。在这项研究中，我们采取了初步的步骤，以缩小这些差距，在家庭暴力研究中，通过采访500名男子，他们正在寻求帮助，从一个专门研究男性IPV受害的热线和一个以人口为基础的500名男子的全国样本。该项目的具体目标是：(1)描述遭受IPV并寻求帮助的男性的经历；(2)将她们的经历和心理健康问题与基于人群样本的男性进行比较；(3)检验强制控制理论适用于针对男性的IPV；(4)调查遭受IPV并寻求帮助的男性的身心健康状况，包括创伤后应激障碍和酒精/药物滥用；(5)描述持续IPV并寻求帮助的男性的潜在制度障碍，以及这些障碍的经历与心理健康之间的任何潜在关联。全国暴力侵害妇女行为调查显示，在一年的时间内，女性对男性的亲密伴侣暴力占所有因亲密伴侣暴力造成的伤害的40%，占所有需要医疗照顾的伤害的27%，占所有担心身体伤害的受害者的31%。有证据表明，男性患IPV与男性的各种身心健康问题有关，如身体伤害、抑郁、压力、身心症状和一般心理困扰。因此，与其他形式的家庭暴力一样，针对男子的IPV可被视为我国一个重大的公共卫生和精神健康问题；然而，为了有效地治疗和预防所有类型的家庭暴力，研究人员、服务提供者以及公共和精神卫生从业人员必须更多地了解针对男子的IPV。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Estimates from the National Family Violence Surveys (Straus & Gelles, 1990) show that within a given year, 12% of men sustain physical aggression from their intimate female partners and 4% of the male population is severely assaulted by their partners. In addition, men who sustain intimate partner violence (IPV) account for 40% of all injuries due to IPV, 38% of all victims who lose time from work, and 31% of all victims who fear bodily harm (calculated from the National Violence Against Women Survey, Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Preliminary research shows men who sustain IPV are likely to have mental health problems, including depression, stress, and psychosomatic symptoms. Thus, IPV against men can be considered a significant health problem in this country, but no study has yet systemically investigated the experiences of men who seek help for IPV victimization. That is, we know little about the predictors of IPV against male help-seekers, the dynamics of their intimate partner relationships, or the mental health concerns of men who sustain IPV and seek help. In addition, because IPV against men is not well recognized, some men who seek help report experiencing institutional barriers to receiving assistance, which could exacerbate any pre-existing mental health problems. In this study, we take a preliminary step toward closing these gaps in the family violence research by interviewing a national sample of 500 men who are seeking assistance from a helpline specializing in male IPV victimization and a population-based national sample of 500 men. The specific aims of this project are to: (1) describe the experiences of men who sustain IPV and seek help; (2) compare their experiences and mental health concerns with those of men from a population-based sample; (3) test the coercive control theory as it applies to IPV against men; (4) investigate the physical and mental health status, including PTSD and alcohol/substance abuse, of men who sustain IPV and seek help; and (5) describe potential institutional barriers to men who sustain IPV and seek help, as well as any potential associations between the experience of these barriers and mental health. - PHS Agency Application Relevance to Public Health The National Violence Against Women Survey showed that intimate partner violence (IPV) by women against men accounts for 40% of all injuries due to IPV during a one-year time period, 27% of all injuries requiring medical attention, and 31% of all victims who fear bodily harm. There is evidence that IPV sustained by men is associated with various physical and mental health problems in men, such as physical injuries, depression, stress, psychosomatic symptoms, and general psychological distress. Thus, IPV against men, like other forms of family violence, can be considered a significant public health and mental health problem in this country; however, in order to effectively treat and prevent all types of family violence, researchers, service providers, and public and mental health practitioners must learn more about IPV against men.