Citation

Stein MB, Kennedy C. J. Affect. Disord. 2001; 66(2-3): 133-138.

Affiliation

VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA. mstein@ucsd.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S0165-0327(00)00301-3

PMID

11578665

Abstract

BACKGROUND & METHODS: Victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) often develop psychiatric disorders. We examined the extent and correlates of comorbidity between two of the disorders most frequently linked to trauma--major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)--in a group of 44 women who were victims of IPV within the preceding 2 years. RESULTS: MDD (68.2%) and PTSD (50.0%) were highly prevalent on a lifetime basis in female victims of IPV. On a current basis, MDD (18.2%) and IPV-related PTSD (31.8%) were more frequently comorbid (42.9% of cases of current IPV-related PTSD also had MDD) than would be expected by chance (P<0.001). Most cases of current MDD occurred in persons who also had current IPV-related PTSD. Severity of depressive and PTSD symptoms were highly correlated (r=0.84). Although women with PTSD were significantly more disabled than women without PTSD, persons with comorbid PTSD and MDD were not significantly more disabled than those with PTSD alone. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional study; entry criteria for study may limit generalizability. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD and MDD symptoms are frequently seen in the aftermath of IPV, and often co-occur. The usefulness of the distinction between PTSD and MDD in this context remains to be determined, both in terms of diagnostic classification and prognostic implications.

Language: en