NCJ Number
139639
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1992) Pages: 249-259
Date Published
1992
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the incidence and magnitude of depressive symptomatology and poor self-esteem among battered women who sought counseling/support services from a Nassau County, New York community agency that provides services for domestic violence victims.
Abstract
The study also looked at the association between depressive symptomatology and self-esteem with the frequency, severity, and consequences of physical aggression and at the degree of self-blame in battered women and the association of blame attributions to psychological characteristics, length of abuse, and degree of battering. Of 33 women who participated in the study, 89 percent experienced severe acts of physical abuse, and 32 percent required surgery or suffered concussions as a result of their injuries; 52 percent scored above 20 on the Beck Depression Inventory. As the number, form, and consequences of physically aggressive acts increased and/or worsened, the women's depressive symptoms increased and self-esteem decreased. Only 12 percent of the women, however, blamed themselves for causing their partner's violence. Further, neither self-blame nor partner blame was associated with length of abuse or the frequency and severity of physical aggression. Self-blame was marginally associated with depressive symptomatology. Self-esteem contributed more unique variance to physical aggression than depressive symptomatology. 21 references and 5 tables