The research literature has demonstrated that battered women living in shelters experience impaired social support. This study examines this phenomenon among battered women living in the community. This study compared a group of pregnant battered women (n = 145) and a group of pregnant nonbattered women (n = 58) in terms of their structural [e.g., total number of supporters, network members in violent relationships with their partners (an index of homophily or nonhomophily) and functional (e.g., emotional)] social support. Four reasons for impaired support in battered women were proposed and examined, including social isolation, failure to disclose abuse, homophily, and low SES. Only homophily was related to impaired support among battered women. In addition, the relationship between structural and functional support and mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, self-esteem) was examined. Criticism, practical support, homophily, and disclosure were all significant predictors of mental health for battered women. Implications for community-based interventions are discussed in the context of current intervention strategies with battered women.

This study examined predictors of stability and change in women's maternal representations of their children. Participants were 180 women, recruited from the community, half of whom had experienced domestic violence during pregnancy. Maternal representations of were assessed with the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI; Zeanah, Benoit, Hirshberg, Barton, & Regan, 1994) during the last trimester of pregnancy and again at the child's first birthday. Results indicated that when collapsed into balanced and non-balanced categories, 71% of the sample was stable over time, and women who had balanced representations had significantly more stable representations than women who had non-balanced representations (p < .001). Income, single parenthood, abuse status, and depressive symptomatology predicted change. In addition, women who became non-balanced postnatally benefited from having balanced representations while pregnant to buffer the quality of their interactions with their children.

This study examined the relationship between domestic violence during pregnancy and mothers' prenatal representations of their infants and themselves as mothers. Two hundred and six women were recruited from the community and interviewed during their last trimester of pregnancy. Forty-four percent of women reported experiencing domestic violence during the current pregnancy, while 56% reported no domestic violence during the pregnancy. Maternal representations were assessed using the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI; Zeanah, Benoit, Hirshberg, Barton, & Regan, 1994). Multiple analysis of variance (MANCOVA) and analyses revealed that women who experienced 2 domestic violence had significantly more negative representations of their infants and themselves as mothers and were significantly more likely to be classified as insecurely attached (either Disengaged or Distorted) than women who had not experienced domestic violence. These results, along with several excerpts from battered women's interviews, highlight the importance of domestic violence as a risk factor for maternal and infant well being. These findings and their clinical implications are discussed in light of attachment theory.RESUMEN: Este estudio examinó la relación entre la violencia en el hogar durante el embarazo y las representaciones que las madres tienen de sus infantes antes del nacimiento, así como de ellas mismas como madres. Doscientas seis mujeres de la comunidad fueron reclutadas y entrevistadas durante el último trimestre de su embarazo. Cuarenta y cuatro por ciento de las mujeres reportaron el haber esperimentado violencia en el hogar durante el actual embarazo, mientras que 56% reportó que no había habido violencia doméstica durante el embarazo. Las representaciones maternas fueron evaluadas usando el Modelo de Trabajo de la Entrevista Infantil (WMCI; Zeanah et al., 1994). Los análisis MANCOVA y Chi-Square revelaron que las mujeres que experimentaban violencia doméstica tenían significativamente más representaciones negativas de sus infantes y de ellas mismas como madres, y estaban mucho más propensas a ser clasificadas como inseguras en cuanto a la unión afectiva (ya sea no comprometida o distorsionada), que las mujeres que no habían experimentado violencia en el hogar. Estos resultados, junto con otros trozos de entrevistas con mujeres maltratadas, subrayan la importancia de la violencia doméstica como un factor de riesgo para el bienestar maternal y de los infantes. Estos resultados y sus implicaciones clínicas se discuten a la luz de la teoría de la afectividad.RÉ SUMÉ : Cette étude a examiné la relation entre la violence domestique durant la grossesse et les repré-sentations prénatales que se font les mères de leurs bébés et d'elles-mêmes en tant que mères. Deux cent six mères ont été recrutées dans la communauté et interviewées durant le dernier trimestre de leur grossesse. Quarante-quatre pourcent de ces femmes ont dit avoir subi des violences domestiques durant leur grossesse actuelle, alors que 56% de ces femme...

Women's (N=205) IPV experiences were assessed during their pregnancies, in the year before their pregnancies, and with their previous partners. The study explored whether psychosocial indicators and severity of violence could be predicted from a woman's continuity and history of IPV. Two 4-group classifications-partner (IPV experiences across partners) and time (history of IPV experiences)-and one 2-group classification (IPV or no IPV in the past 6 months) were compared. Both four-group classifications accounted for more variance than did the two-group. Within the four-group classifications, most of the significant differences on psychosocial outcomes and severity of IPV were between the no IPV and chronic IPV groups (IPV experiences with two partners and across three different time periods). However the groups that also fared poorly were those who experienced recent IPV and continuity of IPV across time with their current partners.

Parasocial interactions and relationships, one-sided connections imagined with celebrities and media figures, are common in adolescence and might play a role in adolescent identity formation and autonomy development. We asked 151 early adolescents (Mage = 14.8 years) to identify a famous individual of whom they are fond; we examined the type of celebrities chosen and why they admired them, and the relationships imagined with these figures across the entire sample and by gender. Adolescents emphasized highly salient media figures, such as actors, for parasocial attention. While different categories of celebrities were appreciated equally for their talent and personality, actors/singers were endorsed for their attractiveness more so than other celebrity types. Most adolescents (61.1%) thought of their favorite media figures as relationship partners, and those who did reported more parasocial involvement and emotional intensity than those who did not. Gender differences emerged in that boys chose more athletes than girls and were more likely to imagine celebrities as authority figures or mentors than friends. Celebrities afforded friendship for girls, who overwhelmingly focused on actresses. Hierarchical parasocial relationships may be linked to processes of identity formation as adolescents, particularly boys, imagine media figures as role models. In contrast, egalitarian parasocial relationships might be associated with autonomy development via an imagined affiliation with an attractive and admirable media figure.