Exploring the relationship between mental health and neuropsychological functioning in female survivors of IPV

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13169/bethunivj.39.1-2022.03
• Published date: 02 June 2022
• Date: 02 June 2022
• Pages: 1-15
• Author: Christian Castro,Nathalia Quiroz Molinares,Elizabeth Verbel Saumeth,Claudia García de la Cadena,Geraldine Ruiz Avendaño,Carlos José De los Reyes-Aragón
• Subject Matter: Intimate Partner Violence,Women’s mental health,Women’s neuropsychological profile,Psychological violence,Physical violence

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Exploring the Relationship between Mental

Health and Neuropsychological Functioning in

Female Survivors of IPV

Christian Castro1, Nathalia Quiroz Molinares2, Elizabeth

Verbel Saumeth2, Claudia García de la Cadena1, Geraldine Ruiz

Avendaño2, Carlos José De los Reyes-Aragón2

1

Universidad del Valle de Guatemala-Ciudad de Guatemala.

2

Universidad De la Costa. Barranquilla-Colombia.

Abstract

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) refers to a series of physical, psychological, and/or sexual

abuses exercised over another individual during an intimate relationship. Several mental health

difculties have been reported related to IPV, and recently neuropsychological alterations

have been also described in this population. This study has three aims: rst, to explore

the existence of mental health-based groups in women with and without a history of IPV;

second, to establish whether belonging to the IPV group is related to having a poorer mental

health and nally, to establish if women with mental health has a lower neuropsychological

functioning. Fourteen female survivors of physical and psychological IPV, and 14 matched

control women (CG) were assessed for their mental health and neuropsychological functions.

A mental health protocol was used to evaluate the variables of anxiety, depression, and

perception of stress. In addition, a protocol of neuropsychological tests evaluated alternating

attention, long-term memory, abstract thinking, learning, and interference control. Results

showed that (1) participants were grouped into two clusters: better mental health and poorer

mental health. The main grouping variable was anxiety. (2) Women with a history of IPV

had poorer mental health, and (3) women with poorer mental health had lower attentional

ability, long-term memory, abstract thinking and working memory. These ndings show the

importance of assessing anxiety, which is one of the predictors of mental health problems in

victims of IPV. Furthermore, it is important to protocolize a form of assessment including

neuropsychological variables.

Key Words: Intimate Partner Violence; women’s mental health; women’s neuropsychological

prole; Psychological Violence; Physical Violence.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article do not represent the opinions of

the Journal’s editorial board and staff of the Dean of Research at Bethlehem University. The

accuracy of the material and any errors in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author.

DOI: 10.13169/bethunivj.39.1-2022.03