mental health; intimate partner violence; male students; perpetrators

Research evidence in Kosovo was focused on the mental health outcomes of IPV victims, and there is a lack of evidence on the mental health correlates of perpetrators. This paper aims to understand mental health correlates associated with minor and severe IPV (physical, psychological and sexual violence) perpetrated by male university students in Kosovo In total 355 male students from the University of Prishtina, selected through convenience sampling participated in the study, with the average age of 21.77 (3.05). For the purpose of this paper, Conflict Tactic Scales-2 (CTS-2; Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy & Sugarman, 1996) and sub-scales of Personal and Relationships Profile, including Depressive Symptom Scale, PTSD symptoms scale, Borderline Personality Traits Scale and one item for Suicide Ideation (PRP; Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy & Sugarman, 2004) were used. Findings of the study show that males perpetrated high rates of IPV including physical violence (43.40%), psychological violence (68.50%) and sexual violence (46.50%), with the majority of acts being of the minor type of IPV. Perpetrators of IPV, including physical, psychological and sexual violence, showed significantly higher rates of PTSD symptoms, borderline personality traits, and suicidal ideation, but not depressive symptoms. Findings from multinomial logistic regression analysis showed borderline personality traits were consistently associated with any IPV (physical, psychological and sexual), including minor and severe. Whereas, suicidal ideation showed strong significant association with both minor and severe psychological violence perpetration and severe physical and sexual perpetration. This study provides evidence that increased levels of any IPV are associated with specific mental health outcomes and indicate the need for continuous investigation of mental health of perpetrators. Intervention and prevention programs would benefit from such findings.