Exposure to gaslighting is closely related to psychological abuse and can contribute to mental health issues, such as depression, while also negatively affecting relationship quality. This suggests that gaslighting has distinct and harmful effects, above and beyond other abusive behaviors.

I’ve linked to the news release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02654075241266942

From the linked article:

A recent study, published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, introduces a new tool designed to measure gaslighting in romantic relationships. The Gaslighting Relationship Exposure Inventory (GREI) consists of 11 items and was found to be a reliable and valid measure for both men and women across two different cultural samples—Israel and the United States. The study also highlights that exposure to gaslighting is closely related to psychological abuse and can contribute to mental health issues, such as depression, while also negatively affecting relationship quality.

Gaslighting is a form of manipulation in which one person makes another doubt their own perceptions, memories, or reality. In the context of romantic relationships, gaslighting can involve a partner repeatedly invalidating their partner’s experiences. They might deny that certain events took place, accuse their partner of overreacting, or suggest their partner is confused or mistaken. Over time, this manipulative behavior can erode the gaslightee’s confidence and self-trust, leading to feelings of disorientation and emotional distress.

Gaslighting is particularly harmful because it can make victims question their sense of reality. The subtle nature of gaslighting often leaves victims unaware of the manipulation for long periods. The authors behind the new research sought to provide a scientifically validated tool that can reliably measure the extent of gaslighting exposure in intimate relationships. Until now, there has been a shortage of such tools, hindering both research on the subject and efforts to support those affected by it.

The researchers found that participants who experienced more gaslighting reported higher levels of depression and lower relationship quality, even after accounting for other forms of intimate partner violence. This suggests that gaslighting has distinct and harmful effects on an individual’s emotional well-being, above and beyond other abusive behaviors.

I skimmed the article. It’s interesting that quantifying gaslighting for the study comes down to a very brief questionnaire.
They seem to reference a lot of past studies, so this is an iterative advancement in the field and not just pulling questions out of thin air. But I wonder if there’s still a possibility that they’re quantifying some sort of trauma/abuse that isn’t necessarily “gaslighting”.
This particular form of abuse has become a hot topic and I think is often applied too broadly by the general public. A lot of people engaged in a normal disagreement, just being told they’re wrong (rather than being mistaken or “misremembering”) may resort to saying “You’re gaslighting me!”

“Exposure to psychological abuse is closely related to psychological abuse and can cause psychological problems.”