Violence and Trauma: Predicting the Impact on the Well-Being of African-American Women with Severe Mental Illness

• NCJ Number: 195581
• Journal: Violence and Victims Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2002 Pages: 219-232
• Author(s): Briggett C. Ford
• Editor(s): Roland D. Maiuro Ph.D.
• Date Published: April 2002
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH53817-05
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research Paper
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The article discusses the effects of exposure to trauma and violence on the mental health of African-American women.

Abstract

The article presents the author’s study of the impact of violence exposure and trauma on a general psychiatric population. Specifically, the study addressed the rate of violence and trauma exposure among African-American women, the effect of exposure on the women's mental health and well-being as measured by the Medical Outcomes Survey (MOS/SF-36). The study consisted of 55 adult African-American women receiving treatment at an urban community mental health clinic. Research indicating a link between violence exposure and mental health issues among African-American women was summarized. Study data allowed the author to conclude that the women's exposure to violence and trauma had a negative impact on mental health and produced a lower level of well-being. Additionally, exposure to trauma and violence tends to exacerbate existing mental health issues. The author recommends additional research to clarify these relationships. 1 Figure, 6 tables, and 33 references