Predicting comorbid PTSD & depression over time among victims of intimate partner violence
by Somberg, Rachel Janine, Ph.D., The George Washington University, 2008, 162; 3315905
The majority of individuals with PTSD have at least one comorbid disorder (Perkonigg et al., 2000; Kessler et al., 1995), and depressive disorders, specifically major depression, is the most commonly cited secondary disorder (Brand et al., 1996; Cascardi et al., 1999). Research that examines comorbidity over time can provide important information on the needs of individuals, both initially after traumatic exposure and over more extensive periods of time, and can inform long-term prevention and intervention for comorbid individuals. Examination of the prevalence and predictors of comorbidity in ethnic minority populations can specifically highlight how individual and contextual factors may uniquely affect mental health outcomes and can direct future research and clinical intervention with under-served populations. This study examined initial and long-term predictors of comorbid PTSD and depression among a sample of low-income, African American women exposed to intimate partner violence. Specifically, it (1) identifies the baseline prevalence and predictors of comorbidity after an initial index event, (2) identifies the prevalence and predictors of comorbidity one year after an index event, and (3) identifies factors that predict staying comorbid or transitioning from a single disorder at baseline, either PTSD or depression, to comorbidity one year later, in hopes of using such information to further disentangle theoretical explanations for comorbidity. Predictors included factors related to violence as a traumatic stressor, namely current physical violence, current sexual violence, current psychological abuse, and subjective threat appraisal, and contextual, psychosocial and individual factors seen as sources of vulnerability, including prior traumatic experiences including childhood physical and sexual abuse, and prior intimate partner violence, low social support, limited coping strategy utilization, limited helpfulness of coping strategies, and substance abuse.
Advisor: Peterson, Rolf A., Dutton, Mary Ann
Commitee: Kaltman, Stacey, Lambert, Sharon, Marotta, Sylvia A., Zea, Maria Cecilia, Zucker, Alyssa
School: The George Washington University
Department: Psychology
School Location: United States -- District of Columbia
Source: DAI-B 69/07, Dissertation Abstracts International
Subjects: Psychotherapy
Keywords: Battered women, Comorbidity, Depression, IPV, Intimate partner violence, PTSD, Posttraumatic stress disorder