Intimate Partner Emotional Abuse, Quality of Life, and Demographic Characteristics as Predictors of Psychological Distress among Married Individuals

This study examined quality of life and intimate partners’ emotional abuse as predictors of psychological distress among married individuals in Alimosho Metropolis. A cross-sectional design was utilised to select 381 married individuals (50.4% female and 49.6% male), aged between 28 and 55 years, who responded to the Eurohis Quality of Life Scale (EQLS), Emotional Abuse Questionnaire (EAQ) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Data was analysed using IBM SPSS. Descriptive statistics (frequency count and percentages) and inferential statistics (multiple linear regression and independent t-test) were used to assess demographic variables and the study’s hypotheses. Results revealed 39.3%, 23.95%, and 5.4% of mild, moderate, and severe levels of psychological distress, respectively. Also, intimate partners' emotional abuse (β = .37, t = 7.69, p < .01). Moreover, female married individuals had significantly higher psychological distress (t (381) = 4.90, p = < .01) than their male counterparts. Sociodemographic characteristics jointly contributed a significant variance of 27% to the variance in psychological distress [R2=.27, F (6, 374) = 17.36, p < .01]. Being female, lower income level and polygamous family type were predictors of psychological distress. The study suggests that psychological distress in married couples is influenced by intimate partner emotional abuse and low quality of life. It recommends that counsellors create community programs to prevent emotional abuse, enhance quality of life, and foster social support networks.