Mental Health Outcomes Among Non-English Primary Language Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

Abstract

This study compares the mental health outcomes of survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) whose primary language is not English with those of survivors whose primary language is English. A total of 126 IPV survivors were recruited for this study, many of whom identified as Latiné (42.86%). We examined the relationship between primary language (English vs. non-English) and mental health outcomes, including mental health issues and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as well as the role of social support in this relationship. The results indicate that participants who do not speak English as their primary language were less likely to report mental health issues and lower levels of PTSD symptoms compared with their English-primary-speaking counterparts. However, social support did not significantly influence the relationship between primary language and mental health outcomes. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the experiences of non-English primary-speaking survivors and the support systems that can help mitigate the effects of IPV.