Intimate partner violence and psychological distress among couples in Malaysia: The role of Stockholm syndrome

Hoo, Juliana Ju Yun and Ng, Samantha Hui Li (2023) Intimate partner violence and psychological distress among couples in Malaysia: The role of Stockholm syndrome. Final Year Project, UTAR.

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Abstract

With a notable increase in reported intimate partner violence (IPV) cases in recent years, IPV has emerged as a significant global concern. In the worst case scenario, victims of IPV might resist leaving the abusive relationships, often without realizing that they have been trapped by Stockholm syndrome (SS). The victims refused to leave the abusive relationships as they developed a sense of trust and affection towards the perpetrators. The present study thus examined the association between IPV (physical and non-physical) and psychological distress among couples in Malaysia, with SS (core Stockholm syndrome, psychological damage, love dependence) as a mediator. A correlational cross-sectional research design was adopted to collect self-reported data among Malaysian couples. A total of 103 samples were collected (Mage = 27.1, SDage = 9.0) using purposive sampling. Majority of the samples were females (80.6%). In terms of ethnicity, majority were Chinese (68.9%), followed by Malay (22.3%), Indian (6.8%) and other ethnicities (1.9%). The results showed significant positive correlations between IPV, SS and psychological distress. Two subscales of SS, namely core Stockholm syndrome and psychological damage, significantly mediated the association between IPV and psychological distress. This study thus fills the literature gap in the Malaysian context, where social and cultural factors are considered. It also has practical implications, suggesting that policymakers should better understand the psychological aspects involved in cases of IPV, leading to the refinement of protection order criteria.

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