Major depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder comorbidity in female victims of intimate partner violence

Background & Methods: Victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) often deve lop psychiatric disorders. We examined the extent and correlates of comorbi dity between two of the disorders most frequently linked to trauma - major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - in a group of 44 women who were victims of IPV within the preceding 2 years. Res ults: MDD (68.2%) and PTSD (50.0%) were highly prevalent on a lifetime basi s in female victims of IPV. On a current basis. MDD (18.2%) and IPV-related PTSD (31.8%) were more frequently comorbid (42.9% of cases of current IPV- related PTSD also had MDD) than would be expected by chance (P < 0.001). Mo st cases of current MDD occurred in persons who also had current IPV-relate d PTSD. Severity of depressive and PTSD symptoms were highly correlated (r = 0.84). Although women with PTSD were significantly more disabled than wom en without PTSD. persons with comorbid PTSD and MDD were not significantly more disabled than those with PTSD alone. Limitations: Cross-sectional stud y: entry criteria for study may limit generalizability. Conclusions: PTSD a nd MDD symptoms are frequently seen in the aftermath of IPV, and often co-o ccur. The usefulness of the distinction between PTSD and MDD in this contex t remains to be determined, both in terms of diagnostic classification and prognostic implications. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .