The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Victims’ Mental, Physical, and Economic Well-Being: A Comprehensive Literature Review (2012–2022)

Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a significant global public health concern, drawing increasing attention due to its profound impact on victims. A systematic review by Lawrence et al. (2012) demonstrated that IPV victims of physical and psychological abuse experience higher rates of physical injuries, poorer health outcomes, poorer physical functioning, and increased psychological symptoms compared with nonvictimized individuals. Building on this work, we conducted a systematic review of 159 quantitative studies published between 2012 and 2022. Across the included studies, more than half had samples ranging between 100 and 500 (52.8%, n = 84) in size, were cross-sectional (84.9%, n = 135), and utilized samples primarily from the United States (56.1%, n = 89). Additionally, 60.4% (n = 96) of these studies included female-only samples, and although all studies assessed IPV victimization, 88.7% (n = 141) assessed only unidirectional IPV victimization. Our findings corroborate and extend the conclusions of Lawrence et al. (2012), highlighting the significant and deleterious impacts of physical and nonphysical forms of IPV, individually and collectively, on victims’ mental health (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder/posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, substance use/abuse, and suicidality), physical health (e.g., general, sexual, and specific physical health indicators), and economic well-being (e.g., job stability, economic productivity, and educational attainment). Despite these consistent findings, some studies reported nonsignificant associations, which may be due to inconsistencies in IPV definitions, sampling methodology, and measurement tools utilized. Future research should prioritize examining bidirectional IPV and its distinct forms, including male victims and gender- and sexually minoritized individuals, and investigating these associations within culturally diverse groups. Additionally, longitudinal designs, multi-informant data collection methods, and the adoption of consistent, reliable, and valid measures are critical to advancing the field.