Citation

Flach C, Leese M, Heron J, Evans J, Feder G, Sharp D, Howard L. BJOG 2011; 118(11): 1383-1391.

Affiliation

Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London  School of Social and Community Medicine  Academic Unit of Psychiatry  Academic Unit of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1471-0528.2011.03040.x

PMID

21692968

Abstract

Objective  To investigate the long-term impact of antenatal domestic violence on maternal psychiatric morbidity and child behaviour. Design  Cohort study. Setting  Avon, UK. Population or sample  A birth cohort of 13 617 children and mother dyads were followed to 42 months of age. Methods  Experiences of domestic violence and depressive symptoms were gathered at 18 weeks of gestation and up to 33 months after birth, together with maternal, paternal and child characteristics. Main outcome measures  Child behavioural problems were assessed at 42 months using the Revised Rutter Questionnaire. Analysis  Logistic regression with the use of multiple imputation employing chained equations for missing data. Results  Antenatal domestic violence was associated with high levels of maternal antenatal (odds ratio [OR], 4.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.4-4.8) and postnatal (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.02-1.63) depressive symptoms after adjustment for potential confounders. Antenatal domestic violence predicted future behavioural problems at 42 months in the child before adjustment for possible confounding and mediating factors (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.45-2.40); this association was not significant after adjustment for high levels of maternal antenatal depressive symptoms, postnatal depressive symptoms or domestic violence since birth. Conclusions  Antenatal domestic violence is associated with high levels of both maternal antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms. It is also associated with postnatal violence, and both are associated with future behavioural problems in the child at 42 months. This is partly mediated by maternal depressive symptoms in the ante- or postnatal period.

Language: en