The Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Selected Battered Wives during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the most typically diagnosed mental health illnesses among battered women. Battering is considered a chronic overriding public issue because the victims are constantly re-traumatized due to flashbacks, and nightmares which frequently result in being over-aroused, easily startled, and quick to anger. Covid -19 pandemic increased the battering worldwide due to the lockdown and stay-at-home policy. Objectives: Current study is intended to discover the prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms among battered wives amid the COVID- 19 pandemic among selected battered wives. Method: A cross-sectional comparative design was used in the present study. Data was collected from battered women who live with their husbands from four districts of Madhya Pradesh, India. A total number of 277 wives participated in the study between the age range of 20 to 49. The study has used the respondents’ demographic data and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale-Interview version DSM-5 to find the prevalence of PTSD among battered wives. Result: The study has found the prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms from moderate to very severe was 265 or 95.66% of the participants. The wives between 20-29 age reveal a prevalence of 94.02%. About 95.28% of battered wives aged between 30 and 39 experienced PTSD symptoms. PTSD was high in wives aged 40-49, with a prevalence of 97.11% during COVID -19. This study also found that psychological, sexual, and physically abused wives are at risk of PTSD, with a prevalence of 84.90%. Conclusion: This present study contributes to the prevalence and severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms among battered women amid the pandemic, which will serve as the foundation for a psychological intervention program.