NCJ Number
175848
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1999 Pages: 21-40
Date Published
1999
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This article reports on an investigation into women's physical and mental health responses to abuse over a period of 3.5 years.
Abstract
A community volunteer sample of 98 battered women was interviewed using a combination of established instruments and in-depth questions over three points in time during a period of 3.5 years. An ANOVA change analysis approach was used, dividing the women into three approximately equal groups according to abuse status. Groups One and Two, women who indicated a change from abuse to nonabuse status, reported significantly better health as compared to women reporting abuse at all three times. In contrast, depression decreased for all three groups from Time 1 to Time 2, with a significant increase at Time 3 with no effect of abuse status. Self-esteem in non-African American women had a similar trajectory. However, for African American women, the means in both self-esteem and self-care agency increased across all three times, regardless of abuse. Depression trajectories also differed between African American and non-African American women. Tables, figures, references