Investigation of self-esteem and impulsivity levels of cases who applied to a domestic violence outpatient clinic as perpetrators of intimate partner violence: A sample from Türkiye

Abstract

Purpose The aim of our study is to investigate the effect of self-esteem, self-esteem subgroups, childhood traumatic experiences, and impulsivity levels on the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) among Turkish male perpetrators. Methods The study included 154 male perpetrators referred to the domestic violence outpatient clinic by the judicial authorities for IPV. A semi-structured sociodemographic and clinical data form, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) were administered. A face-to-face clinical interview was conducted with each participant by using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders-Clinician Version (SCID-5-CV). Results Perpetrators with a history of witnessing family violence during childhood (χ2: 7.535, df: 2, p = 0.023, Cramer's V: 0.221) and exposure to family violence (χ2: 8.711, df: 2, p = 0.013, Cramer's V: 0.238) had higher risk levels. It was observed that the mean total self-esteem score was higher in the high-risk group (η2 = 0.32, p < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between the cases' mean RSE scores and the mean BIS scores (r = 0.712, p < 0.001). Perpetrators who were distrustful of others (p = 0.001, η2: 0.09) and those who were psychologically isolated (p < 0.001, η2: 0.19) were at high risk of IPV. Conclusion We found a strong relationship between self-esteem and its subgroups with IPV risk level and impulsivity among Turkish perpetrators. We believe that examining the self-esteem and impulsive characteristics of perpetrators would be beneficial in combating violence against women.