Thesis (M.A.) (Clinical Psychology) --University of Limpopo, 2009. / Aims: The aim of the study was to determine the psychological impact, coping strategies
and social support structures among female survivors of domestic violence.
Participants: 112 female survivors of domestic violence who came to a trauma centre in
Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province to seek help were selected as participants of the study.
The participants in this study came from around Thohoyandou in the Thulamela
Municipality district. The participants’ ages ranged from 15 to 65 years.
Instruments: The questionnaire used was consisted of the following: 6 items covering
the demographic variables of the participants such as age, marital status, level of
education, employment status, number of years married, number of children; 37 items
dealing with assessing the psychological problems i.e. depression and post-traumatic
stress disorder; and 42 items dealing with seeking social support and coping strategies.
Results: A significant number of the physically abused women were suffering from
depression (z=2.8434, p<0.05). The results further revealed that a significant number of
physically abused women had PTSD (z=15.31, p<0.05). The findings of this study
showed that physically abused women tend to seek help from informal social support
rather than formal social support (t=-8.572, df=104, p<0.05 with Mean score=1.99, SD=
1.236 for informal support and Mean score= .78, SD = .951 for formal support). This
study further shown a significant difference on the use of escape-avoidance coping
strategies compared to the use of many other coping strategies such as problem solving
strategy (t= 4.065, df= 110, p<0.05 ); confrontive coping strategy (t= -.42232, df=111 ,
p<0,05), seeking support strategy (t= -8.740, df= 111, p<0.05) and self –control coping
strategy (t= -5.451, df= 111, p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the
use of escape-avoidance coping strategy and the use of distance coping strategy
(t=.03348, df=111, p>0.05) and responsibility coping strategy (t=-.842, df=111, p>0.05).
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• Conclusion: This study provides data that can be used to motivate the
implementation of intervention programmes to address domestic violence against
women. Such programmes must include the implementation of cost-effective
intervention aimed at reducing the psychological harm caused by physical abuse.
The study also highlighted the need for psychological treatment services. These
services must present an important venue to identify and manage depression and
PTSD amongst physically abused women. Intervention strategies must include
imparting physically abused women with help seeking and coping skills. / Not listed
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ul/oai:ulspace.ul.ac.za:10386/148 |
| Date | 02 June 2010 |
| Creators | Ramashia, Connie Livhuwani |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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