Pre mid Assignment 1

Mental Health and Domestic Violence

Submitted to: Prof. Dr. Masha Asad Khan

Submitted by: Emania Fatima Adan

Major course: Advanced Research Methods

Course Code: MPSY 520

Submission date: September 19, 2023

Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore.

Indigenous Research

“A study on Pakistani women's perception of domestic violence and its association with

anxiety depression and stress”

Parveen, F. et al (2023) aimed to investigate the experiences of domestic violence in

Pakistani women and its association with stress, depression, and anxiety. The population of this

study included those females who had experienced domestic abuse. This study used probability

sampling. The sample consisted of 58 women with the age range from 15 to 49. The data was taken

from the shelter homes in the cities of Punjab such as Lahore, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, Sialkot,

Multan, and Bahawalpur in Pakistan. Missed method survey method was used to find the

connection between domestic violence and its association with stress, anxiety and depression. For

qualitative objective of this study, semi structured interviews were conducted to gather more

information. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS 21) was used for quantitative

results about their stress, anxiety and depression. The results showed that domestic violence has

profound psychosomatic impacts on women. Fear and emotions of helplessness were more

prevalent. The findings revealed a troubling association between domestic violence and increased

levels of anxiety, stress, and depression among the survivors. The study identified socioeconomic

factors and family dynamics as significant contributors to the perpetuation of domestic violence.

Survivors reported various psychological problems stemming from the abuse, including sleep

disturbances, post-traumatic stress disorder, feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem, depression,

helplessness, and weakened self-concept. The study's conclusions underscore the severe harm

caused by domestic violence to its victims, with detrimental effects on their mental well-being.

The limitation of this research was that a limited sample of female victims from Punjab

government welfare centers or shelter houses was used. According to the research, fighting
domestic violence necessitates proactive measures such as constructive training for young men

and effective execution of anti-domestic violence departments.

International research

“Screening for antepartum anxiety and depression and their association with domestic

violence among Egyptian pregnant women”

Abdelhai, R. and Mosleh, H. (2015) aimed to investigate the relationship between

antepartum anxiety, depression, and domestic violence (DV) among pregnant women in Egypt.

Systematic random sampling was used and 376 pregnant women attending the prenatal care

outpatient clinic at Egypt's largest university hospital participated in the study. Participants were

interviewed using a structured questionnaire that included three components: the participants

demographic information, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Hurt,

Insulted, Threaten, Scream (HITS) inventory for screening domestic violence. Most of the

participants were housewives, most of them being illiterates, and nearly one-quarter married to an

illiterate spouse. These findings point to participants' social disadvantage, which is frequent among

those who attend this research location, Egypt's largest university hospital. In all, 63% of

individuals experienced symptoms of both anxiety and depression, with a smaller proportion where

11.4% and 10.4% experienced solely anxiety or depression. Despite a 30.6% prevalence of

domestic violence among women in the current research, only 9.8% reported having a poor

relationship with their husband. According to the EDHS 2014, Egyptian women provided

with reasons for physical DV, where 35.7% highlighted at least one reason that would justify the

husband beating the wife, such as going out without the husband's permission (25.5%), neglecting

her children (24.1%), refusing to have sexual relations with the husband (19.9%), arguing with the

husband (12.8%), or burning the food (7%). Ongoing anxiety and depression were independently
related with lifetime domestic violence exposure, but having a university-educated husband was a

protective factor against domestic violence. This study indicates that the symptoms of anxiety and

depression were highly reported among this sample of pregnant Egyptian women and were

significantly associated with exposure to intimate partner violence. The use of the original HADS

scoring technique, which has not been validated in Egyptian culture, was one of the research's

limitations. The second is the use of a simple screening tool for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

instead of the standardized Demographic and Health Survey questionnaire. They proposed that

screening pregnant women for mental illnesses linked with DV exposure, as well as supportive

mental health treatments and strategies to decrease DV exposure, be explored for incorporation

into prenatal care services. More study is needed to determine effective screening methods and

therapies that might be used to address these challenges in Egyptian healthcare settings.

Critical analysis

The article “Screening for antepartum anxiety and depression and their association with

domestic violence among Egyptian pregnant women” explores antepartum anxiety & depression

in Egyptian pregnant women and their potential link to domestic violence. While the research

objectives are well-defined and significant for maternal health, the article could improve by

providing more context about the broader implications within the Egyptian context. The mixed-

methods approach, combining quantitative screening tools and qualitative interviews, is a strength.

The article should offer more information about the instruments used for assessment and their

validity and reliability. Ethical considerations are noted but require more details for transparency.

The article's mention of potential policy and clinical implications is valuable, but specific

recommendations for stakeholders could improve practical relevance. Recognizing cultural factors

is essential, but a deeper exploration would enhance understanding. Lastly, acknowledging

potential biases and limitations in the study design would strengthen the overall discussion. In

summary, the article addresses crucial maternal health issues but could benefit from

comprehensive information, more transparent ethical reporting, specific recommendations and a

deeper exploration of cultural factors.

 References

Abdelhai, R., & Mosleh, H. (2015). Screening for antepartum anxiety and depression and their

association with domestic violence among Egyptian pregnant women. The Journal of the

Egyptian Public Health Association, 90(3), 101-108.

10.1097/01.EPX.0000471670.64665.8f

Parveen, F., Iqbal, J., & Muhammad, N. (2023). A study on Pakistani women's perception of

domestic violence and its association with anxiety depression and stress. International

Journal of Educational Review, Law and Social Sciences (IJERLAS), 3(3), 707-718.