Moderation Effects of Gender on the Association between Intimate Partner Violence and Suicidal Ideation or Attempt among Adolescents: A Secondary Analysis of the 2017 YRBS

Abstract

Objective

Physical and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents leads to adverse health behaviors, particularly suicidal ideation and attempts. Studies demonstrated the link between IPV and suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescents, yet there is conflicting evidence regarding differences between adolescent males and females; research evaluating the interaction of gender and the association between IPV and suicidal ideation and attempts is limited. The present study used a nationally representative sample from the Youth Behavioral Risk Surveillance questionnaire to determine whether there is an interaction of gender on the relationship between physical IPV, sexual IPV, and suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts.

Method

Weighted logistic regressions were fit using Stata 15.1 and multiple imputations were used to account for missing data.

Results

There is a significant gender by sexual IPV interaction (AOR = 0.66, CI = 0.51–0.84, p = 0.002) such that at low levels of sexual IPV there were no differences between genders in reported suicide attempts (t[33] = 1.19, p = 0.242). However, at moderate and high instances of sexual IPV, adolescent females were significantly less likely than males to report attempting suicide in the past year (t[33] = −2.71, p = 0.011; t[33] = −3.17, p = 0.003, respectively).

Conclusions

The present study demonstrates the vital need for IPV and suicidal ideation and attempt screening, tailored multi-level interventions, and advocacy for adolescents. Policies are essential to increase screening among medical providers, and increase school- and community-based interventions and IPV and suicide awareness to decrease rates among adolescents.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Female students were more likely than males to report suicidal ideation.

• Significant interaction between sex and sexual IPV on suicide attempts.

• Gender differences at medium and high levels of sexual IPV on suicide attempts.

Keywords:

• Adolescents
• intimate partner violence
• suicidal ideation
• suicide attempt
• YRBS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to thank Dr. Abby Harris, Margaret Brenner, and Sabrina Benitez for their assistance in conducting literature searches and editing.

ETHICAL APPROVAL

This secondary analysis was approved by The University of Texas at Austin Institutional Review Board (2019-04-0016). Data are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/data.htm.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

CNM is affiliated with Abacist Analytics, LLC. Abacist Analytics, LLC had no commercial affiliation with a competing interest in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Abacist Analytics, LLC provided support in the form of salary for one author (CNM), but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The other authors have no current, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant number P2CHD042849.

Notes on contributors

Liesl A. Nydegger

Liesl A. Nydegger, PhD, MPH, Health Behavior and Health Education, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA.

Lyzette Blanco

Lyzette Blanco, PhD, MPH, Edith Neumann School of Health and Human Services, Department of Health Science, Touro University Worldwide, Los Alamitos, CA, USA.

C. Nathan Marti

C. Nathan Marti, PhD, Abacist Analytics, LLC, Austin, USA.

Daniel Kreitzberg

Daniel Kreitzberg, MS, Health Behavior and Health Education, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, The University of Texas, Austin, USA.