Prevalence of Mental Disorders Associated with Intimate Partner Violence Victimisation by Gender, Sexuality, and Child Maltreatment History

Purpose Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent and associated with adverse mental health outcomes. This analysis reports national prevalence estimates of mental disorders among Australian adults who have experienced lifetime IPV victimization, by gender, sexuality, and child maltreatment history. Methods Using data from the nationally representative Australian Child Maltreatment Study ( N = 7022, aged 16 years and older), prevalence was calculated for five mental disorder categories (i.e., major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol use disorder, any mental disorder) by type of IPV victimization (i.e., no IPV, any IPV, psychological, physical, sexual, multitype). Results Any IPV victimization was associated with significantly higher prevalence of any mental disorder (55.3%), generalized anxiety disorder (18.5%), alcohol use disorder (28.5%), major depressive disorder (28.1%) and post-traumatic stress disorder (10%) compared to those without a history of IPV. Prevalence was generally consistent across different types of IPV victimization. Bisexual individuals ( n = 375) exhibited higher prevalence of mental disorders compared to heterosexual individuals, across all forms of IPV, while participants with diverse gender identities ( n = 88) showed elevated rates of generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, compared to women and men. Child maltreatment history further amplified prevalence, with multi-type child maltreatment associated with elevated prevalence across the different forms of IPV victimization. Logistic regression analyses indicated IPV victimization was associated with increased odds of mental disorders, with the strongest associations observed for post-traumatic stress disorder across IPV types (ORs = 3.2–6.0). Conclusions Findings suggest that early adversity (child maltreatment) and later-life adversities (IPV victimization) contribute cumulatively to the risk of mental disorders, with heightened risk evident for diverse genders and sexualities. These findings highlight the substantial public health burden associated with mental health disorders among IPV victims and the need for increased attention to prevention and early intervention efforts, including improved screening for IPV within healthcare settings and accessible, trauma-informed mental health support for IPV victims, including sexuality and diverse gender populations at elevated risk.