Let me cut loose! A preliminary investigation of the relationship between psychological intimate partner violence victimization and job search intention

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major social problem and public health concern affecting 1 in 3 women worldwide, increasingly drawing the interest of mental health experts due to its pervasive individual and societal consequences. According to data reported by the Italian National Institute of Statistics, in 2014 more than 13% of women aged 16 to 70 with a current or former partner experienced some form of physical or sexual violence within their relationship. Concerning psychological violence, the percentage of women experiencing this particular type of abuse amounted to 26.4%. Numerous studies have documented the detrimental effects of intimate partner violence on various dimensions of victims' lives, including its potential to inhibit their job-seeking behavior. The aim of this preliminary study is to investigate the relationship between psychological intimate partner violence (PIPV) experienced in the past 12 months and victims' intention to seek (new) employment in the next 6 months using Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework. To achieve this, a sample of 67 individuals currently involved in a romantic relationship was recruited, with a striking 80% reporting experiencing at least one form of psychological violence by their partner in the previous year. Among these, Murphy and Hoover's PIPV dimension of hostile withdrawal emerged as the most prevalent, while denigration was the least frequent. The results of correlational analyses and a mediation model suggest that experiencing denigration from one’s partner is associated with a reduction in perceived control over job search; in contrast, the associations of this type of victimization with other variables assumed by the TPB to antecede job search intention do not reach statistical significance, although they are in line with the hypothesized direction. Conversely, evidence concerning other PIPV dimensions is mixed and less clear. The mediation model reveals denigration not to exert an indirect effect on job search intention through the mediation of perceived control, although the observed effect is consistent with initial hypotheses. Despite this preliminary study providing valuable insights, further research recruiting more participants is warranted to fully comprehend the intricate dynamics between partner victimization and job search intentions, particularly with regard to specific psychological violence dimensions like denigration.