Demographic and Mental Health Predictors for Abusive Relationship Duration among Women Seeking Help for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): A Multivariate Model

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has long been considered a serious social and public health issue. However, there is limited research on what determines how long women stay in abusive relationships. This study examines the associations between IPV duration and other abuse-related variables in a sample of help-seeking women at an outpatient counseling center affiliated with a local domestic violence agency (n = 230). Data were obtained from existing intake forms designed and collected by the agency. Multiple regression analyses identified independent variables significantly associated with longer IPV duration, including older age, having children, and being white. Childhood trauma, medical concerns, and reported psychiatric symptoms were not associated with IPV duration. Subgroup analyses also revealed that for older women (50 or above) in this sample, parental history of IPV was significantly associated with shorter IPV duration, while none of the other variables showed statistical significance. Implications of these results were discussed and directions for future research were explored.