Citation

Orava TA, McLeod PJ, Sharpe D. J. Fam. Violence 1996; 11(2): 167-186.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, PO Box 4400, E3B 5A3 Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/BF02336668

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The relation between women's histories of experiencing violence and current psychological health were examined. Locus of control, feelings of personal power, depressive symptomatology, self-esteem, and judgments of control over a contingently responsive computer display were investigated in groups of 21 abused women and 18 comparison women. Within the sample of abused women, relationships between severity of abuse and the psychological variables were also examined. The group of abused women had lower beliefs in self-efficacy, were more depressed, and had lower self-esteem than the comparison women. There were no differences found, however, between the two groups in perceptions of control on the computer task. Severity of physical abuse among the abused women was positively correlated with depression scores. Verbal abuse was found to contribute significantly to many of the between-group differences. Empirical evidence of the positive impact of transition house residence on the abused women's mental health was also presented. The importance of future research into both the differential effects of verbal and physical abuse on women and the role of the transition house in empowering abused women were discussed.