Resilience in Women who Experience Domestic Violence

Violence in the family constitutes a serious social and psychological problem with harmful consequences leading, among others, to changes in the psychological functioning of the victim and, secondarily, also the perpetrator. The aim of this study was to examine resilience in women experiencing domestic violence. The “Ego Resiliency Scale” (ERS) was used to study the group of women suffering domestic violence. The study group included 52 women aged 30–65 years (mean age: 40.15) using assistance of the Crisis Intervention Centre due to experienced domestic violence. They most often reported suffering psychological and physical violence, with the husband or intimate partner being the most common perpetrator. Study women experiencing domestic violence obtained significantly lower scores on the ERS. The lowest scores on the ERS were achieved by women suffering paternal violence, while the highest – by women experiencing violence on the part of the intimate partner. Resilience of study women suffering domestic violence was lower than resilience of the general population, i.e. individuals not experiencing domestic violence. Suffered violence inflicted by the father exerted the greatest adverse impact on resilience. It seems advisable to consider resilience in the process of providing women experiencing domestic violence with psychosocial help.     

Indirect Self-Destructiveness in Women who Experience Domestic Violence

Lives of people experiencing domestic or/and intimate partner violence abound in many unpleasant events and physical and psychological suffering, which affects their psychosocial functioning. The aim of this study was to explore indirect self-destructiveness as a generalised behavioural tendency and its manifestations in women experiencing domestic violence. The “Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale” (CS-DS) was used to study two groups of women: 52 women aged 30–65 years (mean age: 40.15) using assistance of the Crisis Intervention Centre due to experienced domestic violence (V group) and 150 well-matched women not experiencing domestic violence (NV group). Women suffering domestic violence (V) obtained significantly higher scores than women not experiencing domestic violence (NV) for both the general index and a majority of CS-DS subscales; it was only for the A1 (Transgression and Risk) subscale that they achieved somewhat lower scores. Correlation coefficients between particular CS-DS subscales in the V group were higher than in the NV group; there were also certain differences in coefficients between the groups. Subscale factor analysis results were different too: only one factor was isolated in the V group while two were distinguished in the NV group. It can be inferred from the results that the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness as a generalised behavioural tendency as well as of most its categories was higher in women experiencing domestic violence. Tendencies and categories of indirectly self-destructive behaviours in women suffering domestic violence were more closely connected with one another, and the internal coherence of indirect self-destructiveness in those women might also be higher.     

Disabled Women and Domestic Violence: Making the Links,a National UK Study

This article reports on the first-ever national study of domestic violence and disability in the United Kingdom. The multi-method study used the social model of disability and was mainly qualitative in design. It reports distressing findings of the abuse which disabled women may experience, confirming similar findings in Australia and other countries. Less provision than that available proportionally to non-disabled women is accompanied by a greater need for such focussed and specialist services. Disabled women in the United Kingdom therefore lose out on both counts. The paper concludes that a cultural shift or sea-change is required in relevant service provision at both management and operational levels, informed by disabled women themselves wherever possible. The study made wide-ranging recommendations at both the strategic level across localities and for relevant agencies in the United Kingdom. These recommendations have wide relevance in other countries.     

Using Personal Construct Psychology with Pupils Who Experience Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties-A Case Study

Personal construct psychology is presented and its application within a school setting is described. Using case material derived from working with an 11-year-old pupil displaying highly disruptive behaviour, the strengths and limitations of this approach are illustrated. Personal construct psychology can increase pupil and teacher understanding of behavioural difficulties and lead directly to individualised strategies for successful intervention.     

Indirect Self-Destructiveness and Emotional Intelligence

While emotional intelligence may have a favourable influence on the life and psychological and social functioning of the individual, indirect self-destructiveness exerts a rather negative influence. The aim of this study has been to explore possible relations between indirect self-destructiveness and emotional intelligence. A population of 260 individuals (130 females and 130 males) aged 20–30 (mean age of 24.5) was studied by using the Polish version of the chronic self-destructiveness scale and INTE, i.e., the Polish version of the assessing emotions scale. Indirect self-destructiveness has significant correlations with all variables of INTE (overall score, factor I, factor II), and these correlations are negative. The intensity of indirect self-destructiveness differentiates significantly the height of the emotional intelligence and vice versa: the height of the emotional intelligence differentiates significantly the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness. Indirect self-destructiveness has negative correlations with emotional intelligence as well as its components: the ability to recognize emotions and the ability to utilize emotions. The height of emotional intelligence differentiates the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness, and vice versa: the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness differentiates the height of emotional intelligence. It seems advisable to use emotional intelligence in the prophylactic and therapeutic work with persons with various types of disorders, especially with the syndrome of indirect self-destructiveness.     

Associations Between Unintended Pregnancy,Domestic Violence,and Sexual Assault in a Population of Queensland Women

This study aimed to establish the proportion of women seeking information regarding unintended pregnancy in the context of domestic violence (DV) and/or sexual assault (SA) experiences in Queensland. Mental health, sociodemographic variables, and gestation at first and repeated contacts were examined for 6249 women primarily seeking information regarding abortion options during an unintended pregnancy over the 5-year period from July 2012 to June 2017. Reports of DV and SA and associations with mental health issues increased significantly across the 5 years. First contact rates of disclosure were 12.2% for DV and 3% for SA, and higher among repeat contacts (38.1% for DV and 14.1% for SA), with recurring contact facilitating violence disclosure. Restricting access to abortions in the context of violence impedes a woman’s agency in attempts to separate from violence and highlights the need for safe, supportive, and accessible services, to assist in screening and assisting with violence.     

Setting Up a Domestic Violence Service

Background: This paper describes some of the issues we confronted and resolved in setting up an independent dedicated domestic violence service.
Method: In our project we work with violent behaviour that is known or suspected in the contexts of both assessment and therapy. We describe our policy on domestic violence, including confidentiality, our reflecting practices, our relationships with referrers as a means of managing the risk of violence, and the assessment and evaluation procedures we use for the assessment of risk of violence. We include some discussion of the effects of domestic violence on children and the effects of doing this work on ourselves.
Conclusions: We conclude by discussing the moral issues involved for us as therapists in doing this work, the impact of the legal frame within which we work, and some of the social and psychological theories we find helpful in understanding the causes and effects of violent behaviour in the family.     

Manifestations of Indirect Self-Destructiveness and Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence

While indirect self-destructiveness exerts a rather negative influence on the life and psychological and social functioning of the individual, emotional intelligence may have a favourable effect. The aim of this study has been to explore possible relationships between manifestations of indirect self-destructiveness and dimensions of emotional intelligence. A population of 260 individuals (130 females and 130 males) aged 20–30 (mean age of 24.5) was studied by using the Polish version of the Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale and INTE, i.e., the Polish version of the Assessing Emotions Scale. Manifestations of indirect self-destructiveness show many significant correlations with variables of the INTE, and those correlations are negative. Generally, it can be said that low emotional intelligence is associated with poor psychosocial and social functioning, which, in turn, is associated with indirect self-destructiveness and its manifestations. It seems advisable to use emotional intelligence in the prophylactic and therapeutic work with individuals suffering from various types of disorders, especially the syndrome of indirect self-destructiveness.     

Emotional Intelligence Is a Protective Factor for Suicidal Behavior

ObjectiveLittle is known about what factors protect against the occurrence of suicidal ideation and attempts. We tested whether emotional intelligence (EI)—the ability to perceive, integrate into thoughts, understand, and manage one's emotions—decreases the likelihood of suicidal ideation and attempts among those at risk.MethodAdolescents (N = 54) aged 12 to 19 years were recruited from local psychiatric clinics and the community to participate in this cross-sectional laboratory-based study. Analyses examined whether the relations between childhood sexual abuse and suicidal ideation and attempts were moderated by adolescents' EI. These constructs were assessed using self-report, structured interviews, and performance-based tests, respectively.ResultsAnalyses revealed that El is a protective factor for both suicidal ideation and attempts. Specifically, childhood sexual abuse was strongly predictive of these outcomes among those with low El, weakly predictive among those with medium El, and completely unrelated among those with high El. Follow-up analyses revealed that the protective effect of El was driven primarily by differences in strategic El (i.e., ability to understand and manage emotions) but not experiential El (i.e., ability to perceive emotions and integrate emotions into thoughts).ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence that El is a protective factor for suicidal ideation and attempts. Important next steps include testing the moderating influence of El on a wider range of stressful life events and self-injurious behaviors, as well as conducting experimental studies to determine whether enhancing El decreases the subsequent occurrence of these behavior problems.     

Perceived Emotional Intelligence and Clinical Symptoms in Mental Disorders

Research in emotional regulation has revealed that difficulties in the use and processing of affective information constitute a key factor in most mental disorders. To evaluate perceived emotional intelligence (PEI) deficits in patients with diverse psychopathological disorders and their relationship with clinical symptoms. Differences in PEI have been identified between a clinical group (n?=?163) and a group of non-clinical individuals (n?=?163). In the clinical group, the patients met DSM diagnostic criteria for one of the following: anxiety disorder, mood disorder, substance abuse disorder, psychotic disorder or borderline personality disorder. The PEI and clinical symptoms were assessed using the Spanish version of the TMMS-24 and the SCL-90-R, respectively. Patients from clinical group show higher levels of attention to feelings, but lower scores in abilities to manage effectively their negative emotional states compared to participants from non-clinical control group. Similarly, significant differences in PEI levels between different diagnostic groups were found. Our study provides preliminary evidence that deficits in PEI are related to the presence and severity of clinical symptoms in patients with different mental disorders.     

Group Play Therapy for Preschoolers Exposed to Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a relatively common problem that has serious, negative consequences for preschoolers' emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal functioning. Many children who witness domestic violence also experience the loss of a caregiver, which can exacerbate difficulties. Unfortunately, only a small number of preschoolers receive treatment for these problems, possibly because there are few well-developed programs for this age group. This paper describes a group play therapy for preschoolers exposed to domestic violence and other traumas. The group is designed for 14 sessions, each lasting 60 minutes, and takes place in a Head Start preschool. Individual sessions follow a consistent format; the group begins with a warm-up exercise about feelings, followed by structured activities, and ends with unstructured free play and clean-up. General techniques used in the group and their therapeutic uses are described. Recommendations for future groups and future research on the efficacy of groups are also discussed.     

Domestic Violence Intervention in an Urban Indian Health Center

This report describes a domestic violence program in an urban Indian health center. The failure of office-based interventions and the importance of developing interventions that are sensitive to the needs of this population is discussed. Successful interventions including home visits and a domestic violence group that incorporated American Indian traditions and values are presented.     

Violence Against Women and the Assaulted Staff Action Program

Women have been subjected to high rates of victimization at home, in the community, and at work. An earlier study found female inpatient staff to be at risk for same-gender patient assaults in psychiatric hospitals and female community residential staff to be at increased risk for assaults from male patients in residences. This study sought to revisit the original 2-year findings during a subsequent 6-year period. Inpatient and community assault data were gathered within the context of the Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP), a post-incident crisis response approach. Female inpatient staff were again found to be at increased risk in both inpatient and community settings. However, in this second study, female community residential staff were found to be at increased risk for assault from both male and female patients. The findings and their implications are discussed.     

Convergent Validity Analysis between the Profile of Emotional Competences Full-Form and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Full-Form

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - Emotional dispositions have been found to influence outcomes and have applications in many areas, such as in the clinical, health, social,...     

Violence against Women: Devastating Legacy and Transforming Services

This article deals with violence against women in an overview discussion. It first reflects on the devastating legacy of gender violence, with examples from across the world. It goes on to discuss the transformations that began to develop in both service provision and in attention to, and public attitudes about, the issue in various countries, from the 1970s onwards. There have been (a) transforming services, (b) transforming people and (c) transforming research. Illustrations are provided from the United Kingdom with additional material from Australia and New Zealand. The paper celebrates both the achievements of activism and service provisions over the past 30 years on gender violence, and also the first 20 years of specialized violence against women research, during which time it has moved from the margins to – almost – the mainstream.     

Interviewing Victims of Repeated Domestic Violence: Investigators' Beliefs and Strategies

Most victims of domestic violence are abused repeatedly over time. Hence, investigative challenges arise concerning victims' ability to recall particular events. This research focuses on investigators' understanding of memory-based problems associated with repeated victimization and their strategies to facilitate recall. Eighty-one Swedish police officers completed a questionnaire probing their beliefs about memory for repeated events, aims of witness interviews and specific memory-enhancing techniques. A large proportion reported not making any extra preparations or using specific techniques to tackle the challenges of interviewing victims of repeated violence. However, respondents were largely aware of problematic memory features, including source monitoring errors, and they reported using scientifically supported techniques.     

Decreased Nociceptin Receptors Are Related to Resilience and Recovery in College Women Who Have Experienced Sexual Violence: Therapeutic Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

BackgroundPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress disorder that develops in only some individuals following a traumatic event. Data suggest that a substantial fraction of women recover after sexual violence. Thus, the investigation of stress and antistress neuropeptides in this sample has the potential to inform the neurochemistry of resilience following trauma. Nociceptin is an antistress neuropeptide in the brain that promotes resilience in animal models of PTSD.Methods[¹¹C]NOP-1A positron emission tomography was used to measure the in vivo binding to nociceptin receptors in 18 college women who had experienced sexual violence irrespective of whether they met DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD. [¹¹C]NOP-1A data from 18 healthy control subjects were also included to provide a contrast with the sexual violence group. [¹¹C]NOP-1A total distribution volume (V_T) in the regions of interest were measured with kinetic analysis using the arterial input function. The relationships between regional V_T and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 total symptom and subscale severity were examined using correlational analyses.ResultsNo differences in [¹¹C]NOP-1A V_T were noted between the sexual violence and control groups. V_T in the midbrain and cerebellum were positively correlated with PTSD total symptom severity in the past month before positron emission tomography. Intrusion/re-experiencing and avoidance subscale symptoms drove this relationship. Stratification of subjects by a DSM-5 PTSD diagnosis and contrasting their V_T with that in control subjects showed no group differences.ConclusionsDecreased midbrain and cerebellum nociceptin receptors are associated with less severe PTSD symptoms. Medications that target nociceptin should be explored to prevent and treat PTSD.