title: Making Meaning Out of Interpersonal Victimization: The Narratives of IPV Survivors.
abstract: Research examining meaning-making in the aftermath of interpersonal victimization among women has been restricted by quantitative methods and a focus on single distressing event. Qualitative methods were used to inspect meaning-making cognitions among a community sample of IPV (intimate partner violence) survivors. Consensus coding resulted in eight categories of meaning-making. The most widely endorsed cognition was self-blaming. Other strategies included justification for the abuser, normalizing violence, attribution to karmic or godly intervention, minimization and social comparison, reappraisal/opportunity for growth, absence of a protective figure, and failure to make sense of abuse. Implications with respect to adaptiveness and intervention are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, USA blim@niu.edu.
authors.forename: Ban Hong Phylice
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, USA.
authors.forename: Christine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.affiliation: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lilly
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cognitions; interpersonal trauma; intimate partner violence; meaning-making