Study in Choolai: Even low levels of domestic abuse lead to high mental stress’

CHENNAI: A study of women experiencing domestic violence in Choolai has found that nearly three-fourths recorded high psychological distress, despite 80% of the participants being classified as facing low levels of domestic violence (DV), underscoring the hidden mental-health burden of abuse.

Published in Bioinformation on August 31, the study covered 60 women aged 21 and above in Choolai, a densely populated urban locality in the Greater Chennai Corporation. Researchers were from the College of Nursing, Madras Medical College, Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University.

Emotional and verbal abuse was the most prevalent form, reported by 70% of the participants, followed by physical abuse (53.33%), financial abuse (41.67%), isolation tactics (28.33%) and sexual abuse (21.67%). Constant criticism and humiliation were among the most frequently reported forms of emotional abuse.

Researchers assessed DV, conflict-related behaviour and psychological distress using the Domestic Violence Worksheet, Conflict Tactics Scale and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). While 48 women (80%) fell in the study’s low domestic-violence category and 12 (20%) in the moderate category, none was placed in the high category.

The picture was markedly different for psychological distress: 44 women (73.33%) recorded high distress and 16 (26.67%) moderate distress, with none recording low distress. Restlessness was reported by 96% of the women, followed by symptoms of depression (95.6%) and hopelessness (94.4%).

The study recorded significant positive correlations between DV and conflict tactics, DV and psychological distress, and conflict tactics and psychological distress. Researchers described this as an ‘important paradox’, saying the psychological footprint of abuse extends beyond observable physical aggression.

Education was significantly associated with both DV scores and psychological distress. All women with no formal or only primary education reported high distress, while 95.24% of those with undergraduate education had low domestic-violence scores.

Researchers called for mental-health screening, educational support and trauma-informed care for women facing DV. They also cautioned that the study's small convenience sample, single-site design and reliance on self-reported data limited its generalisability, and recommended multicentre longitudinal research.

SHOCKING REVEALS

Emotional/verbal abuse: 70%

Physical abuse: 53.33%

Financial abuse: 41.67%

Isolation tactics: 28.33%

Sexual abuse: 21.67%

DV severity: 80% low, 20% moderate

Psychological distress: 73.33% high, 26.67% moderate

Greater domestic violence and conflict-related behaviour were associated with greater psychological distress

Important paradox – psychological harm can be severe even when overt violence appears relatively low

Mental-health screening, educational support and trauma-informed care crucial

SYMPTOMS

Restlessness – 96%

Depression – 95.6%

Hopelessness – 94.4%