Abusive partners and ex-partners: understanding the effects of relationship to the abuser on women's well-being.
This study examined how being abused by a current partner versus an ex-partner might affect psychological well-being and social support in a community sample of 398 women, half of whom had experienced abuse in the past 6 months. The impact of emotional and physical abuse was influenced by partner status, with emotional abuse being more detrimental to women abused by current partners and physical abuse being more detrimental to women abused by ex-partners. Emotional support was negatively related to depression in women abused by current partners, whereas practical support was negatively related to depression in women abused by ex-partners. The implications for interventions with abused women are discussed.
Theran
Sally A
SA
Wellesley College, MA, USA.
Sullivan
Cris M
CM
Bogat
G Anne
GA
Stewart
Cheryl Sutherland
CS
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health