The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Young Mother's Mental Health

Intimate partner violence (IPV) rates are notably higher among adolescents who are pregnant or have experienced a pregnancy, with physical IPV reaching up to 62%, and psychological abuse being even more common. IPV has serious mental health consequences for adolescent mothers, leading to increased rates of depression and anxiety which can impair caregiving. IPV negatively affects children, increasing the risks of poor maternal bonding, and low birth weight. This study investigates how IPV contributes to adverse mental health outcomes in Brazilian adolescent mothers. A cross-sectional approach was used with data collected between August 2023 to 2024. The study participants were adolescent mothers under 20 years old, with children aged 0 to 5 years, residing in southern Brazil. Research assistants collected data following approval from the Institutional Review Boards (IRB) of UNLV and a partner university in Brazil. The study utilized Fisher's exact test to analyze correlations between mothers' responses to IPV-related questions and their mental health symptoms, as measured by the DASS-21 screening tool. 55.45% of participants who reported experiencing emotional IPV also exhibited moderate to severe depressive symptoms, with a significant correlation between the variables (P < 0.001). Physical IPV was correlated with depressive symptoms (P = 0.01), with 50% of young mothers reporting both experiences. Experiencing IPV at a young age can deteriorate the physical health of an adolescent mother but also increase the likelihood of developing a mental illness. It is important to provide screenings for IPV and mental health to improve the well-being of all mothers.