Psychological Well-Being of Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in Kazakhstan: The Role of Neuroticism and Suicidal Ideation

Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a significant public health and social problem in Kazakhstan and is associated with adverse psychological outcomes among women. However, limited empirical evidence exists on the separate associations of Neuroticism and Suicidal Ideation with multidimensional psychological well-being among women survivors of IPV receiving crisis-center services in Central Asia. This study addressed this gap by examining these associations in a hard-to-reach population of women receiving crisis-center services. Methods The study involved 107 women who had experienced IPV, reported Suicidal Ideation, and were receiving support services at a crisis center in Astana, Kazakhstan. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling. Psychological well-being was assessed using the PERMA-Profiler, neuroticism was measured using the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI), and suicidal ideation was evaluated using the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSS). Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted to examine the separate associations of Neuroticism and Suicidal Ideation with psychological well-being. Results The findings revealed that higher levels of neuroticism were significantly associated with lower levels of psychological well-being (β = −0.182, p = 0.030). Suicidal ideation also showed a significant inverse association with psychological well-being (β = −0.179, p = 0.033). Although statistically significant, both associations were modest, indicating that psychological well-being may also be related to broader emotional, interpersonal, social, and socioeconomic factors. Discussion The results indicate that neuroticism and suicidal ideation are distinct psychological correlates of lower psychological well-being among women who have experienced IPV. These findings support a multidimensional interpretation in which neurotic characteristics represent one component of a broader psychosocial framework rather than the sole determinant of suicidal ideation or psychological well-being. Conclusion The study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive psychological assessment and multidimensional support for women who have experienced IPV and report suicidal ideation. Psychological services should consider neurotic characteristics alongside emotional functioning, self-esteem, social support, and socioeconomic circumstances. Future longitudinal studies are required to clarify how these factors are related over time and to evaluate interventions designed to support psychological well-being among women survivors of IPV.