title: Stages of change as a correlate of mental health symptoms in abused, low-income African American women.
abstract: The current study aims to further our understanding of the applicability of the transtheoretical model (TM) to intimate partner violence (IPV), with particular focus on mental health symptoms (depression, posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology, suicidal ideation) in a sample of low-income African American women seeking medical services at an inner city emergency department. Results revealed that of the 121 abused African American women, the majority (95%) were in the precontemplation and contemplation stages of the change process. Further, contrary to predictions, bivariate analyses revealed those at further stages of change endorsed more severe mental health symptoms. However, a multivariate analysis of variance examining differences in level of mental health symptoms between women high and low on stages of change was inconclusive due to the small number of women at the higher stages of the TM model. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature supporting the TM as applied to IPV. Results are discussed in terms of applicability to intervention design.
authors.affiliation: Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
authors.forename: Tiffany A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Houry
authors.forename: Robin S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kemball
authors.forename: Sharon E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Harp
authors.forename: Louise-Anne
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: McNutt
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Straus
authors.forename: Karin V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cerulli
authors.forename: Nadine J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kaslow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires