The Relationship Between Violence, Social Support, and Self-Blame in Battered Women

Abstract

This study hypothesized that battered women compared with nonbattered women use more violence, receive lower levels of social support, and experience higher levels of self-blame. Also hypothesized is that these three variables are interrelated. A sample of 95 women constituted 3 groups: battered women, nonbattered women in counseling, and nonbattered, noncounseled women. The women completed the Conflict Tactics Scales, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and a 61-item self-blame scale. Results supported all of the major hypotheses and revealed that female-to-male violence in battered women is negatively related with level of perceived social support and positively linked with level of self-blame. The latter correlation rested primarily on the association between nonphysical CTS abuse items and self-blame measures. These findings help provide further specificity about battered women's perceived lack of social support and help to clarify reported inconsistencies about self-blame.

Rompendo o silêncio e suas barreiras: um inquérito domiciliar sobre a violência doméstica contra idosos em área de abrangência do Programa Médico de Família de Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

“…Da mesma forma, ao contrário do que se esperaria, a violência física não variou segundo o grau de suspeição de uso inadequado de ál-cool 32,40 . Aqui também, uma questão de cunho metodológico merece ser trazida ao debate.…”

Community Violence and Its Direct, Indirect, and Mediating Effects on Intimate Partner Violence

“…One, social support members who themselves are battered may believe that this behavior is neither abusive nor unusual (Barnett, 2001). They may minimize the abuse or blame themselves and their friends for provoking it (Barnett, Martinez, & Keyson, 1996;Dunham & Senn, 2000;West & Wandrei, 2002). Abuse victims may even be encouraged to remain with the abuser (Bowker, 1983;Dutton, 1992;ElBassel, Gilbert, Rajah, Foleno, & Frye, 2001).…”

A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Help-Seeking Processes Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

“…With regard to IPV in particular, a number of studies have documented the relative dearth of social support among battered women, as well as the reluctance of IPV victims to access existing support networks-both informal and formal (e.g., Barnett, Martinez, & Keyson, 1996;Dunham & Senn, 2000). This is significant, considering that informal social support has been identified as a key protective factor that is associated with fewer mental health problems among battered women (Astin et al, 1993;Carlson, McNutt, Choi, & Rose, 2002;Kemp et al, 1991;Mitchell & Hodson, 1983;Tan et al, 1995).…”