Moderating Role of Resilience in the Relationship of Intimate Partner Violence and Depressive Symptoms Among Women in Enugu state, Nigeria

Abstract

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a pervasive global public health challenge that affects millions of women and has severe mental health consequences such as depressive symptoms. Existing research has largely focused on the direct effects of intimate partner violence on women's mental health, with insufficient attention to resilience as a potential protective factor that may alter the IPVand depression relationship.

This study investigated the moderating role of resilience in the relationship of IPV and depressive symptoms of women. Participants in the study were 417 women in intimate partner relationships drawn from Enugu state, southeast Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was employed in the selection of participants. The authors used the Centre for Epidemiological StudiesDepression Scale, Abusive Behaviour Inventory, and the Brief Resilience Scale for data collection. PROCESS macrofor SPSS multiple regression was used to analyze the data. Findings showed that physical violence and psychological violence were positively associated with depressive symptoms. Resilience moderated the relationship between psychological violence and depressive symptoms. Interventions for persons experiencing IPV should include programmes designed to empower them, especially those women experiencing psychological violence, to develop resilience as a strategy for coping with and overcoming their challenges.