Intimate Partner Violence, Health, and Relationship Satisfaction Among Arab American Women.

Experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization/survivorship and the health and well-being of Arab American women remain understudied despite a growing U.S. Arab population. This study examines 164 Arab American women in relationships and their experiences with IPV, self-rated physical and mental health, and relationship satisfaction. Analyses revealed three key findings: (a) IPV victimization is negatively associated with self-rated physical health (including composite, injury, and sexual coercion measures) and relationship satisfaction (including composite, injury, physical assault, and sexual coercion measures), but a negative relationship with mental health has only limited support (i.e., injury measure), (b) Christian and Muslim respondents reported overall similar levels of IPV victimization and physical and mental health, and (c) Muslim women reported lower relationship satisfaction, independent from IPV experiences. The findings reaffirm the call for culturally responsive and tailored programming aimed at eradicating or reducing IPV within Arab American communities. Moreover, increasing research on Arab American women can be an important resource for clinicians supporting this community.