Social Support, Stress, and Depression among Battered Women in the Judicial Setting

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Violence has become a major health problem. Battered women have increasingly entered the health care system for treatment ofphysical injuries, stressrelated illnesses, and psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to measure the levels of social support, stress, and depression and to evaluate the relationship among these variables in battered women who were seeking a 'protection from abuse" order. STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive cobort design was used. RESULTS: The battered women exhibited high levels of stress and moderate-severe degrees of depression. The women werefound to experience suicidal ideation and disturbances in sleep and nutrition. Relationships among the variables revealed an inverse relationship between social support and stress as well as between social support and depression, suggesting that social support may modulate the negative effects of abuse. Younger women had higher levels of stress and lower social support, which may be reflective of a limited repertoire of coping strategies and an underdeveloped support system. CONCLUSIONS: Social support interventions may be beneficial to battered women, particularly young women.