Each year approximately 1.5 million women in the United States experience intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV is known to influence depression and anxiety during, as well as immediately following a woman's physical departure from the violent relationship, which is defined as the six months crisis period post-abuse. Unfortunately, little is currently known about depression and anxiety during the long-term post-abuse period. The Hobfoll Conservation of Resources Theory serves as the study's organizing framework. This theory focuses on resources available to post-abused women that may help overcome poor psychological outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine resources associated with depression and anxiety in long-term post-abused women. A purposive sample of post-abused women will be recruited from multiple communities in the Midwestern United States (N=97). Women included in the sample must be 18 years or older and at one time involved in a heterosexual intimate partner relationship that was physically, emotionally, and/or sexually abusive. Sample inclusion criteria require women to be physically removed from the abusive relationship for a period of at least six months, but no longer than five years. The study is currently in progress and data are being collected. Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression analyses will examine associations among all variables to determine the significance of resources for explaining depression and anxiety levels. Health care professionals, who understand post-abused women and the relationships between their resources and psychological outcomes, are more likely to screen for past histories of IPV. Knowledge about post-abuse psychological outcomes will equip health care professionals with beginning guidelines for assessing these women. Earlier detection may lead to more timely treatment and recovery.
Session #1223 - Graduate Student Poster Session
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)