title: Where Did She Go? The Transformation of Self-Esteem, Self-Identity, and Mental Well-Being among Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Discussions on intimate partner violence (IPV) often focus on physical abuse, ignoring psychological and sexual abuse and controlling behaviors. The damage of varied forms of IPV on mental well-being in its broader form have been far less explored, especially among low-income women. Our aim was to improve our understanding of self-perceptions of mental well-being among low-income women who have experienced IPV by considering a broader definition of mental well-being that includes self-esteem and self-identity as core components.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using qualitative methods, we present findings from in-depth interviews with 41 low-income women currently or recently experiencing abuse and housing instability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women experienced varied types of violence (physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, social isolation, and controlling behaviors). Injuries resulting from physical abuse were viewed differently from those arising from emotional and psychological control. Physical injuries healed faster, whereas damage to self-esteem and identity lingered. The journey through and out of IPV is often marked by an initial erosion of sense of self (identity deconstruction) followed by the identity reconstruction through an extended process of change aimed at rebuilding self-esteem, mental well-being, self-efficacy, and ultimately self-identity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IPV-related training for physicians and allied health professionals should emphasize the varied nature of IPV and its impact on identity, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Treatment should be holistic to address comorbid needs, including physical injury, mental health, and addiction problems. Consider supportive programs that integrate those living with or leaving IPV with women with past lived experience who can help women to understand the process of change and support this change in a nurturing setting.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: mathesonf@smh.ca.
authors.forename: Flora I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Matheson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Nihaya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Daoud
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamilton-Wright
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Borenstein
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Campo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D000066511:Intimate Partner Violence; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health