The purpose of the proposed study is to examine the prevalence, characteristics, and mental health consequences of violence perpetrated by male intimates against Japanese women in Los Angeles. Data will be collected through structured face-to-face interviews with a randomly- selected community-based sample of 200 Japanese-born and US-born Japanese women. This study attempts to improve measurements used to assess experiences of domestic violence and expands the scope of investigation to include a range of physical, sexual, and emotional violence. The lifetime prevalence and past-year prevalence of domestic violence among Japanese women will be assessed using behavior-specific questions. Contextual information surrounding the violent incidents and respondents' reactions to such incidents will also be assessed. This study of a previously underrepresented minority population (i.e., the Japanese) investigates variations in the patterns of domestic violence, which may reflect socio- cultural factors, experienced by Japanese women of differential birthplaces and socialization experiences. Additional analyses will include comparing the level of psychological distress and well-being among Japanese women who have been abused by their male intimates and those who have not. The severity of domestic violence experienced, the time since the most recent victimization, experiences of violence by nonintimates, and the availability of social support are hypothesized as correlates of mental health. The effects of these factors on Japanese women's mental health will be assessed through multivariate analysis.
| Yoshihama, Mieko; Horrocks, Julie (2003) The relationship between intimate partner violence and PTSD: an application of Cox regression with time-varying covariates. J Trauma Stress 16:371-80 |
