The Evaluation of Emotional Violence and Sleep Quality in Turkish Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Emotional violence during pregnancy may negatively affect maternal and fetal health and impair sleep quality. The study aimed to evaluate pregnant women’s exposure to emotional violence and their sleep quality. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 262 pregnant women at Samsun Education and Research Hospital in the city of Samsun, Turkey, between February and May 2024. The sample was obtained using simple random sampling. Data were collected using the Sociodemographic and Obstetric Checklist, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the exposure to Emotional Violence Scale (EVS). Data were analyzed using independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey’s post hoc comparisons, and all data were analyzed using SPSS v.25. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Spousal violence during pregnancy was reported by 16.0% (CI 95%: 11.5 – 20.5) of participants. The mean (standard deviation) total PSQI score was 5.77 (3.49), and 54.2% (CI 95%, 48.2-60.2) of the pregnant women had poor sleep quality. The mean (SD) total EVS score was 38.80 (13.25), indicating a low level of emotional violence exposure. Pregnant women with poor sleep quality had significantly higher EVS total scores (p=0.020), as well as higher scores in the subdomains of obstruction (p=0.044), humiliation (p=0.046), harm (p=0.021), and verbal abuse (p=0.022). Conclusion: It was demonstrated that half of the pregnant women had poor sleep quality and were exposed to low levels of emotional violence. Pregnant women with poor sleep quality were found to be more exposed to emotional violence. © The author(s).