Examining the Association Between Childhood Trauma, Brain Injury, and Neurobehavioral Symptoms Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

This study aimed to (1) identify the relationship between childhood trauma and neurobehavioral symptoms among a shelter- and community-based sample of IPV survivors, including investigating the mediating role of posttraumatic stress symptoms and alexithymia in this relationship; (2) assess the association between IPV-related brain injury (BI) severity and neurobehavioral symptoms; and (3) assesses whether physical, emotional, or cognitive domains of neurobehavioral symptom burden show differential associations with childhood trauma or IPV-related BI. Setting: Community sites serving women who had experienced IPV such as domestic violence shelters and transitional housing sites. Participants: Women survivors of IPV with and without BI (n = 99), aged 18 to 54 years. Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional study design. Measures: The following self-reported questionnaires were used: Rivermead Post Concussion Questionnaire (RPQ); Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ); a modified version of the Conflict Tactics Scale; Brain Injury Severity Assessment (BISA); Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM IV; and Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The final multivariate regression model assessed the association between childhood abuse, BI severity, and neurobehavioral symptoms (as measured by the RPQ) adjusting for age, educational attainment, and abuse in the past year. We created separate models with total neurobehavioral symptom score as an outcome, as well as somat...
Source: The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation - Category: Neurology Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research