Background: Little is known about the perspectives of South Asian mothers with regards to the
experience of intimate partner violence (IPV), including risk and protective factors, impacts of
exposure, and help-seeking. This thesis is comprised of two sub-studies. In the first study, a
scoping review was conducted to identify and map the literature on IPV amongst South Asian
women residing outside of South Asia. The second study consists of a qualitative project to explore
how IPV is perceived among South Asian mothers living in Ontario, Canada.
Methods: The first study was a scoping review conducted using the 5-stage framework outlined
by Arksey and O’Malley, and later advanced by Levac et al. Four health and social science
databases, including Embase, CINAHL, Medline, and PsychINFO were systematically searched
from inception to June 2020 using the themes “intimate partner violence” and “South Asian.”
Studies were screened for inclusion based on pre-determined eligibility criteria, and relevant data
with regards to study location, journal type, and sample characteristics were abstracted by two
independent reviewers. Studies were organized and synthesized into thematic categories. Then a
qualitative descriptive study was conducted with a purposeful sample of 6 South Asian mothers
from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, recruited from a sub-sample of the SouTh Asian
biRth CohorT Study (START). Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore their
perceptions and experiences of IPV in their community. The interview data were analysed using
reflective thematic analysis.
Findings: The scoping review revealed that most studies qualitatively explored the experiences
and perceptions of IPV amongst women of the South Asian diaspora; however, there was a paucity
of quantitative literature to ascertain the impacts of exposure to IPV. Similarly, there was a dearth
of literature on the prevention of IPV in this population. Other research gaps included the lack of
clinical samples, the underrepresentation of some South Asian ethnicities over others, and the
overrepresentation of studies conducted in the USA. The qualitative descriptive study revealed
that among this sample of South Asian mothers, they expressed that in-laws play a significant role
in contributing to violence from in-laws, which can lead to IPV, and in increasing a woman’s risk
of experiencing IPV by adhering to traditional gender roles. Participants identified that the IPV
can manifest as unequal sharing of responsibilities between partners and women’s education can
be protective against IPV. Participants believed that their concern for their children’s well-being
along with cultural expectations of South Asian females, played a key role in the decision to seek
help for IPV. Participants identified that physicians could play an important role in helping women
who have experienced IPV by asking about IPV and offering resources.
Discussion: This scoping review, which identified and mapped IPV literature, and qualitative
study, which investigated the perceptions of IPV amongst South Asian mothers, contribute to the
body of IPV literature amongst women in the South Asian diaspora. The findings can help inform
future research directions, and can contribute to the general understanding of stakeholders, such
as service providers for IPV, about how IPV is understood, experienced, and addressed among
South Asian mothers. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/26251 |
| Date | January 2020 |
| Creators | Thomas, Priya |
| Contributors | Anand, Sonia, Health Research Methodology |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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