Women's responses to battering: A test of the model

Abstract

A volunteer community sample of 141 well-educated, economically heterogeneous, primarily African American (80%), urban battered women was used to test a model of women's responses to battering. The model, based on Orem's theory, was developed previously with an independent sample. The major independent variables were physical and nonphysical abuse, and self-care agency. The outcomes were physical and emotional health. Using structural equation modeling techniques, there was sufficient support for the model structure to conclude preliminary support for the overall model. There was both a direct effect of abuse on health, and an indirect effect mediated through self-care agency as a protective factor.

Intimate partner abuse factors associated with women’s health: a general population study

“…Health risk behaviours (alcohol misuse, smoking), chronic health condition/ illnesses (sleep disturbance, depression, eating disorders) and being currently a victim of IPV predicted general health. These findings are in harmony with the Women's Response to Battering Model (Campbell & Soeken 1999), where a major direct relationship was demonstrated between abuse and women's health problems, indicating that women who have been abused by intimate partners have more health problems. Interventions designed to improve health by decreasing health risk behaviours (e.g.…”

Cumulative Violence Exposures: Black Women's Responses and Sources of Strength

“…The importance of assessing lifetime cumulative violence experiences and its effect on Black women’s health are vital to gain in-depth understanding of these women’s lives. As other research indicates, cumulative victimization experiences can negatively affect self-care agency (i.e., abilities to address abuse), since violence erodes women’s self-esteem, motivation, and energy (Campbell, & Soeken, 1999) and contributes to poor health (Sundermann et al, 2013). …”

“…Self-care agency refers to capabilities or abilities of women to take care of themselves or their health (Campbell &Weber, 2000). It is affected by developmental age, life experiences, and available resources (Campbell & Soeken, 1999; Campbell & Weber, 2000; Orem, 1995). …”

How do women in Spain deal with an abusive relationship?

“…Similarly, this often happens when there is protection from family and friends, who offer the victim emotional and logistic support. [40][41][42][43] Identifying the factors that have an influence on the response adopted by abused women allows us to better understand the support needed by them to abandon an abusive relationship. The findings of this study highlight the need for political, social, legal, and health services to work together to provide abused women with the support and courage to overcome a violent relationship.…”