Childhood exposure to interparental violence and mental health outcomes among men in India

Abstract

Background

Childhood exposure to interparental violence can have lasting impacts on mental health, shaping attitudes and behaviors in adulthood.

Objective

This study examines the association between childhood exposure to interparental violence and adverse mental health outcomes, including multiple sexual partners, substance abuse, justification of wife-beating, and spousal violence among men in India.

Participants and setting

Data from 42,059 men aged 15–54 collected through Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) by visiting households during the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019/21) were analyzed. The NFHS-5 was nationally representative and followed a robust sampling design to choose the sample comprising of men from rural and urban areas, various religious, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds, and different regions of India.

Methods

Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between witnessing interparental violence in childhood and mental health outcomes, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to present the results.

Results

Men who witnessed their father beating their mother in childhood had significantly higher odds of having multiple sexual partners (AOR = 2.52; 95 % CI: 1.90–3.33), substance abuse (AOR = 1.43; 95 % CI: 1.32–1.54), justifying wife-beating (AOR = 2.16; 95 % CI: 2.00–2.33) and spousal violence (AOR = 1.35; 95 % CI: 1.25–1.46).

Conclusions

Childhood exposure to interparental violence is a significant determinant of adverse adult mental health outcomes. Early intervention programs, mental health services, and policy measures addressing socio-economic disparities are critical in breaking the intergenerational cycle of violence and fostering healthier behaviors.