Mental and Physical Health Correlates for Sexual Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Victimization: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious, often overlooked, public health concern. Research examining correlates of sexual IPV perpetration and victimization is warranted to help assessment and intervention efforts. This study utilized the biopsychosocial model as a theoretical framework, highlighting the importance of examining mental and physical health correlates for sexual IPV. This meta-analysis used data from 168 articles, yielding 352 unique effect sizes, to calculate aggregate effect sizes for mental and physical health correlates for sexual IPV victimization and perpetration among men and women. We also examined whether correlates were stronger for men or women, as well as whether they were more strongly related to perpetration or victimization. Results found that some of the strongest correlates for sexual IPV victimization were suicidal ideation, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression. The strongest correlates for sexual IPV perpetration were narcissistic personality disorder, psychopathy, and alcohol use. Several lesser-examined correlates for women-only samples were identified, such as dissociation, schizophrenia, somatic symptoms, and insomnia. There were no significant differences in the strength of correlates between men and women, although only five correlates were able to be compared. It was also found that post-traumatic stress was a stronger correlate for sexual IPV victimization than perpetration, and alcohol use was a stronger correlate for sexual IPV perpetration than victimization. Research and clinical implications are discussed.