The present study assesses differences between acknowledged and unacknowledged victims in post-victimization psychopathology, abuse disability and coping. Few studies have examined abuse acknowledgment among intimate partner violence (IPV) victims. To our knowledge, this study is the first to use an experimental manipulation to assess changes in acknowledgment among IPV victims. Female undergraduate students currently in dating relationships completed demographic, coping and psychopathology questionnaires, and the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS). They then watched a video of an IPV perpetrator who either acknowledged abuse or did not acknowledge abuse. Following the video, participants completed a psychopathology questionnaire and a post-video acknowledgment assessment. Approximately 38% of the sample reported IPV victimization. Only 7.89% acknowledged victimization. Acknowledged IPV victims had the highest mean victimization score but reported psychopathology similar to nonvictims on all subscales except phobic anxiety. Unacknowledged victims reported greater psychopathology, depression, anxiety, and hostility than nonvictims and were more symptomatic overall. Unacknowledged victims reported more frequent use of avoidant coping strategies than nonvictims. These strategies included substance use, self-blame, and behavioral disengagement. Acknowledged and unacknowledged victims reported greater abuse disability than nonvictims, and acknowledged victims reported greater life restriction than unacknowledged victims. Following the video, the number of acknowledged victims nearly doubled, and acknowledged victims reported increased depression. On the basis of these findings, clinicians and researchers should carefully consider acknowledgment as a potential factor in post-victimization mental health and explore ways to increases victim acknowledgment.

本研究评估了承认和未承认的受害者在受害后精神病理学、虐待残疾和应对方面的差异。很少有研究调查亲密伴侣暴力 (IPV) 受害者对虐待的承认。据我们所知，这项研究是第一个使用实验操作来评估 IPV 受害者承认变化的研究。目前处于约会关系中的女本科生完成了人口统计、应对和精神病理学问卷以及冲突策略量表 (CTS)。然后，他们观看了一段承认虐待或不承认虐待的 IPV 肇事者的视频。观看视频后，参与者完成了精神病理学问卷和视频后确认评估。大约 38% 的样本报告了 IPV 受害。只有7个。89% 承认受害。承认的 IPV 受害者的平均受害分数最高，但报告的精神病理学在所有分量表上都与非受害者相似，但恐惧性焦虑除外。与非受害者相比，未被承认的受害者报告的精神病理学、抑郁、焦虑和敌意更严重，并且总体上症状更严重。未被承认的受害者报告说比非受害者更频繁地使用回避应对策略。这些策略包括物质使用、自责和行为脱离。承认和未承认的受害者比非受害者报告了更大的虐待残疾，并且承认的受害者比未承认的受害者报告了更大的生活限制。视频发布后，被承认的受害者人数几乎翻了一番，承认的受害者报告说抑郁症增加了。基于这些发现，