The moderating effect of women's alcohol misuse on the relationship between intimate partner violence victimization and postpartum depression.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We examined the moderating effect of women's alcohol misuse on the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and postpartum depression. METHODS: Self-report data were collected from 122 women. Analyses controlled for women's baseline depression severity and partner alcohol misuse. RESULTS: Women's alcohol misuse moderated the relationship between psychological IPV victimization and postpartum depression only at high levels of the moderator. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the mental health risk posed by the combination of psychological IPV and alcohol misuse postpartum. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Findings emphasize the need to investigate the understudied topic of women's postpartum alcohol misuse.