TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring Protective Strategies among Rural Women in an Abusive Relationship
AU - Anderson, Kim M.
AU - Renner, Lynette M.
AU - Bloom, Tina L.
PY - 2017/8/3
Y1 - 2017/8/3
N2 - The purpose of this study was to explore rural women's accounts of intimate partner violence and the strategies they used to protect themselves from such adversity. Convenience sampling included women currently in an abusive relationship (N = 22), who were receiving mental health services at a rural victim-service provider. Standardized measures indicated, on average, that study participants were symptomatic for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet exhibited higher resilience than other PTSD populations. Participants used a variety of strategies to halt, escape, or resist violence in their lives. Informal and safety planning strategies were rated as most helpful, though resistance and placating strategies were most commonly used. Formal strategy use among participants was associated with higher levels of resilience and depressive symptoms; while participants' increased use of safety planning and resistance strategies were also related to greater resilience. Implications for rural victim service providers include addressing psychological distress and hardiness for women currently in an abusive relationship, while providing the necessary resources to secure their safety.
AB - The purpose of this study was to explore rural women's accounts of intimate partner violence and the strategies they used to protect themselves from such adversity. Convenience sampling included women currently in an abusive relationship (N = 22), who were receiving mental health services at a rural victim-service provider. Standardized measures indicated, on average, that study participants were symptomatic for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet exhibited higher resilience than other PTSD populations. Participants used a variety of strategies to halt, escape, or resist violence in their lives. Informal and safety planning strategies were rated as most helpful, though resistance and placating strategies were most commonly used. Formal strategy use among participants was associated with higher levels of resilience and depressive symptoms; while participants' increased use of safety planning and resistance strategies were also related to greater resilience. Implications for rural victim service providers include addressing psychological distress and hardiness for women currently in an abusive relationship, while providing the necessary resources to secure their safety.
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U2 - 10.1080/01612840.2017.1322159
DO - 10.1080/01612840.2017.1322159
M3 - Article
C2 - 28521645
AN - SCOPUS:85019577323
SN - 0161-2840
VL - 38
SP - 610
EP - 618
JO - Issues in Mental Health Nursing
JF - Issues in Mental Health Nursing
IS - 8
ER -