Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2013 Apr;167(4):341-7.
doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.780.

Associations of early exposure to intimate partner violence and parental depression with subsequent mental health outcomes

Nerissa S Bauer  1 , Amy L Gilbert, Aaron E Carroll, Stephen M Downs
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Associations of early exposure to intimate partner violence and parental depression with subsequent mental health outcomes

Nerissa S Bauer et al. JAMA Pediatr. 2013 Apr.

Abstract

Importance: Children with known exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) or maternal depression are at risk for negative mental health outcomes as early as preschool age. Active ongoing surveillance for these risk factors can lead to earlier mental health intervention for children.

Objective: To examine the association between parent reports of IPV and depressive symptoms within the first 3 years of a child's life with subsequent mental health conditions and psychotropic drug treatment.

Design: Prospective cohort study linking parental IPV and depression with subsequent billing and pharmacy data between November 1, 2004, and June 7, 2012.

Setting: Four pediatric clinics.

Participants: A total of 2422 children receiving care from clinics that implemented the Child Health Improvement Through Computer Automation (CHICA) system.

Main outcome measures: Any report of IPV and/or parental depressive symptoms from birth to age 3 years, mental health diagnoses made with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision criteria, and any psychotropic drug treatment between ages 3 and 6 years.

Results: Fifty-eight caregivers (2.4%) reported both IPV and depressive symptoms before their children were aged 3 years, 69 (2.8%) reported IPV only, 704 (29.1%) reported depressive symptoms only, and 1591 (65.7%) reported neither exposure. Children of parents reporting both IPV and depressive symptoms were more likely to have a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adjusted odds ratio = 4.0; 95% CI, 1.5-10.9), even after adjusting for the child's sex, race/ethnicity, and insurance type. Children whose parents reported depressive symptoms were more likely to have been prescribed psychotropic medication (adjusted odds ratio = 1.9; 95%, CI 1.0-3.4).

Conclusions and relevance: Exposure to both IPV and depression before age 3 years is associated with preschool-aged onset of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; early exposure to parental depression is associated with being prescribed psychotropic medication. Pediatricians play a critical role in performing active, ongoing surveillance of families with these known social risk factors and providing early intervention to negate long-term sequelae.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest for all authors: none

Comment in

References

    1. Breiding MJ, Black MC, Ryan GW. Prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence in eighteen U.S. states/territories, 2005. American journal of preventive medicine. 2008 Feb;34(2):112–118. - PubMed
    1. Saltzman LE, Fanslow JL, McMahon PM, Shelly GA. Intimate partner violence surveillance: Uniform definitions and recommended data elements. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 1999.
    1. Greenfield L, Rand M, Craven D, et al. Violence by Intimates: Analysis of data on crimes by current or former spouses, boyfriends, and girlfriends. US Department of Justice, Office of Justic Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics; 1998.
    1. Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. Washington DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice; 2000.
    1. US Census Bureau 2000. National population and housing data. 2000. [Accessed April 26, 2012].

Publication types

Substances