The Mediating Role of Depressive Symptoms in the Relationship Between Intimate Partner Violence and Suicidal Behaviors in Women
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Objective: This study examined the mediating role of depressive symptoms in the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and suicidal behaviors among married women in Shirvan, Iran.
Methods and Materials: A descriptive-correlational design using structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed. A convenience sample of 284 married women completed the Beck Depression Inventory (1993), the Intimate Partner Violence Questionnaire (Alipour et al., 2003), and the Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire (Osman et al., 2001). Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS, with model fit assessed via indices such as RMSEA, CFI, and SRMR.
Findings: Intimate partner violence had a significant total effect (β = 0.21, p = 0.001, 95% CI [0.13, 0.29]) on suicidal behaviors, fully mediated by depressive symptoms (indirect effect: β = 0.21, p = 0.001). The model explained 18% of the variance in depression (R² = 0.18) and 24% in suicidal behaviors (R² = 0.24). Significant positive correlations were found between IPV dimensions (mild physical violence, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, physical assault) and suicidal behaviors, as well as between IPV and depressive symptoms.
Conclusion: Depressive symptoms fully mediate the relationship between IPV and suicidal behaviors, emphasizing the need for targeted mental health interventions to address IPV and reduce suicide risk among women.
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