The aetiology of associations between interpersonal violence, depression and suicidal ideation in Colombo, Sri Lanka: Population-based twin and singleton study.

BACKGROUND

Interpersonal violence, for example bullying and intimate partner violence, affects millions of people worldwide and is related to mental health problems. However, research methodologies which allow us to study mechanisms of this association, such as longitudinal and twin studies, overrepresent populations in the global north.

METHODS

The Colombo Twin and Singleton Study collected data between 2005 and 2007 as well as 2012-2015. First, linear models were used to assess risks factors for exposure to interpersonal violence. Second, they were used to test the associations between exposure to interpersonal violence and the outcomes - depression and suicidal ideation. Further, the quasi-causal monozygotic twin differences design was used to test the associations between exposure and outcome. A bivariate twin moderation model was applied to investigate gene-environment interactions.

RESULTS

There was a heightened risk of experiencing interpersonal violence among those previously affected by armed conflict (β = 0.13, 95 % CI = 0.06, 0.20) or natural disasters (β = 0.11, 95 % CI = 0.02, 0.19), in men (β = 0.23, 95 % CI = 0.17, 0.30) and those of lower socioeconomic status (β = 0.05, 95 % CI = 0.01, 0.08). Experiencing interpersonal violence was associated with depression symptoms after accounting for confounding familial factors (β = 0.23, 95 % CI = 0.10, 0.36). Twin model fitting showed that interpersonal violence moderated the genetic and non-shared environmental influences on depression symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposures to natural disasters and civil conflict are associated with experiencing interpersonal violence. Being affected by interpersonal violence is linked to depressive difficulties, and those with genetic and environmental vulnerabilities may be more likely to be negatively affected.