Use of Mental Health Services Among Victims of Partner Violence on College Campuses

• NCJ Number: 224396
• Journal: Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: 2008 Pages: 376-390
• Author(s): Moises Prospero; Shetal Vohra-Gupta
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 15 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the link between the type of intimate partner violence (physical, psychological, or sexual) experienced by male and female college students and the likelihood that the victim sought mental health services.

Abstract

Eighty-six percent of the 200 study participants reported being victimized by an intimate partner through psychological/verbal, physical, and/or sexual violence. Almost half of the participants reported experiencing sexual coercion by their intimate partner. Male participants experienced the same amount of violent victimization (psychological, physical, and sexual) from their intimate partners as female participants. The victims who reported using mental health services to address the consequences of their victimization were significantly more likely to report being victims of psychological and physical violence than victims who did not use mental health services. The fact that victims of sexual violence perpetrated by intimate partners did not generally seek mental health services is a concern, since almost half of the sample reported this type of abuse from their intimate partners. Still, regardless of the type of abuse experienced only 16 percent of those victimized by intimate partner violence used mental health services. Most victims preferred to talk to their friends or family about their victimization. Reasons given for not seeking mental health services included embarrassment, expense, perceptions of ineffectiveness, and social stigma. All participants were recruited from undergraduate general psychology classes. Of the 200 participants, 69 percent were female. The Revised Conflict Scale measured experiences of intimate partner violence, and participants were asked question about their use of mental health services, consultation with friends and family about intimate partner violence, and the use of alcohol or drugs in coping with intimate partner violence. They were also asked about their reasons for not using mental health services. 3 tables and 33 references