Learned Helplessness Contributing to Post Traumatic Stress and Depression
Summary:
Bargai, Shakhar, and Shalev (2007) designed a correlational study to test the idea that exposure to violence facilitates learned helplessness, which may contribute to the development of mental illness in battered women.
This experiment is a correlational experiment because none of the variables involved are being manipulated, they are being measured. They are measuring post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD), major depressive disorder(MDD), learned helplessness, history of physical and sexual violence, and the presence of a male dominated background. The researchers’ aim was to see if there was a correlational relationship between exposure to violence, learned helplessness, PTSD, and major depression in battered women. More specifically, women who have a reported history of abuse. The independent variables consist of the participants current DSM-IV Axis I diagnosis, and the different types of questionnaires and self reports provided by the researchers. The main dependent variable of this study was the level of learned helplessness the participants reported, compared along with the different levels of severity for PTSD, depression, past abuse and male dominated backgrounds reported.
In short, the researchers hypothesized that exposure to violence was positively correlated with learned helplessness. Furthermore they hypothesized that learned helplessness was associated with a history of physical and sexual violence as well as a male dominated upbringing. The sample originally included 140 women from 8 shelters for battered women in Israel, all of whom had previously been involved in an abusive heterosexual relationship. Prior to the initial...
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...ale domination is positively correlated with learned helplessness, and mental disorders such as PTSD and major depressive disorder. Each participant was administered several questionnaires and self reports that were appropriate to the subjects being measured. The results confirmed the researchers hypothesis. Those who were diagnosed with PTSD and MDD had high correlations with learned helplessness as well as all other conditions measured. Therefore, the researchers concluded that learned helplessness as a result of exposure to violence, may lead to the development of mental illness.
References
Bargai, N., Ben-Shakhar, G., & Shalev, A.Y., (2007). Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in battered women: The mediating role of learned helplessness. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 276-275. doi: 10.1007/ s10896-007-9078-y
Battered women constitute one of the most marginalized groupings in the social order. Their relationship incidents occasionally put these individuals into disagreement with the law, particularly when they murder their violent partners. The Battered woman syndrome (BWS) was created by clinical psychologist (1970’s) with an intention of depicting the series of occurrences that physically abused women frequently experience in their relationships.
The dynamics surrounding the decision to leave or stay, and possible consequences are very complex. There are various reasons victims may either opt to stay in an abusive relationship. Feelings of fear, shame, hopelessness, and the inability to provide for themselves are common factors. However, one of the primary reasons is some people do not realize they are victims. Quite often abusers can be very charismatic using apologies, affection, and promises to end the negative behavior to control their victims. Unfortunately, this tactic can create an emotional sense of conflict as the victim begins to reflect on the good times, while battling with the reality of the present. This type of behavior often predicates or serves as the prelude to the cycle of abuse theory, a component of the Battered Woman Syndrome; thus being the primary reason victims find it difficult to leave. In an article entitled “When Love Hurts” by Jill Cory and Karen McAndless –Davis, various facets and resulting impact of domestic violence are explored and correlated to BWS. In making the correlation between the cycle of abuse of and BWS, the cycle of abuse is the eighth component of the Battered Woman Syndrome (Fulero & Wrightsman, 2009) defined as a distinct pattern having three
In conclusion, it is clearly shown that domestic violence has a negative effect on the children who witness it. An expanding body of research suggests that childhood trauma and adverse experiences can lead to a variety of negative health outcomes (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.1). In fact, childhood stressors such as witnessing domestic violence and other household dysfunctions are highly interrelated and have a graded relationship to numerous health and social problems (Anda & Chapman & Dube & Felitti & Giles & Williamson, 2001, p.2). It is obvious and clearly shown that the children who witness domestic abuse have serious long term mental effects.
An abused woman is always faced with a number of different choices from which she may consider, with regards to seeking help or ending the relationship with a variety of alternatives, the woman knows each decision involves a variety of risks. Time after time, the common question arises, “why doesn’t she just leave?” This question can be answered by analyzing the psychological effects domestic abuse has on women. Many women are unable to cope with the emotional and psychological stress of domestic abuse and resort to violence and extre...
Warshaw, C., Sullivan, C., & Rivera, E. (2013, February). Domestic violence and other lifetime trauma can have significant mental health consequences. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from http://www.nationalcenterdvtraumamh.org/
Domestic violence and abuse takes place within family-type intimate relationships and forms a pattern of intimidating and controlling behaviors, which overtime escalates (Dennis, T. 2014, p 1). It can also cause physical psychological or sexual harm to these relations as well (Gul & Faiz, 2013). Domestic Violence according to Fairtlough (2006) is “the misuse of power and the exercise of control by one individual over another, generally by men over women, with whom they have been in an intimate relationship. It assumes a wide range of abusive physical, sexual, and psychological behaviors.” Dennis argued that domestic violence has become a serious societal and public health issue and is a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders
In Robert Agnew's general strain theory, he talks about how strain and stress could cause an individual to commit crimes that they wouldn't have committed without those circumstances. In his theory, he refers to negative affective states, which are the "anger, frustration, and adverse emotions that emerge in the wake of destructive social relationships". It is these negative affective states that are produced by strain. Agnew acknowledges that strain can be caused by negative situations, such as abuse or neglect, family conflict, or stressful life events. These situations can all be found to be extremely prevalent in households where domestic violence occurs. According to this theory, the negative stimuli presented causes, in this case, the woman to feel angry, frustrated, disappointed, depressed, and fearful. These negative feelings, in turn, are outwardly expressed through violence. In this paper, we will look at battered woman syndrome as a theory that has stemmed from Robert Agnew's general strain theory.
Herrenkohl, T. I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E. A., Herremkohl, R. C., & Moylan, C. A. (2008). Intersection of child abuse and children's exposure to domestic violence. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 9(84), 84-99.
Failure by practitioners to observe such a vice empowers the abuser, and the victims may fail to ever get help. Statistics states that “Fifty-six percent of women who experience any partner violence are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. Twenty-nine percent of all women who attempt suicide are battered. Thirthy-seven percent of battered women have symptoms of depression, 46 percent have symptoms of anxiety disorder, and 45 percent experience post-traumatic stress disorder” (Saltzman, Johnson, & Goodwin, 2003).
exposed to family violence: I. Overview and issues. Couple And Family Psychology: Research And Practice, 1(S), 63-73. doi:10.1037/2160-4096.1.S.63
Domestic Violence Statistics states, “Around the world, at least one in every 3 women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime” (1). The United States Department of Justice defines domestic violence as, “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner” (para. 1). Domestic violence is a crime that numerous citizens fall victim to in every country. Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence regardless of race, gender, sexuality or religion. Being a victim of domestic violence can affect a person’s way of life permanently and the way these victims interact with other people can become a difficult task and can eventually affect their future. Domestic violence is substantially wrong because it can cause drastic permanent effects in a person’s life, can cause physical, emotional and intellectual damage, and affects a child’s state of mind of what is normal and what is not if they are in a domestic violent atmosphere. While women are usually victims of domestic violence, men are victims of this crime as well. The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney states that, “According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief, men account for approximately fifteen percent of the victims of reported intimate partner crimes” (Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, par.1). Physical, emotional, economic and physiological abuses are all forms of domestic violence that many people would consider to fall under another crime. There are many crimes that many citizens commit, but domestic violence is one of many that should not be taken lightly.
When a child witnesses domestic abuse it can have many different effects on the child. From my research I found that one of the most common effects on the child were mental health problems. In one study, conducted in New Zealand, young people that reported high levels of exposure to inter-parental violence had elevated rates of mental health problems (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.1). Some of the least severe mental health problems included anxiety, inability to focus, and nightmares (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). But these problems, which appear to be less severe, can also be the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Brescoll & Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). In a study conducted in 2001 the results indicated that higher levels of symptoms indicative of post traumatic stress were associated with children who have witnessed domestic violence (Hill & Nabors & Reynolds & Wallace & Weist, 2001, p.1). ?Children who have witnessed domestic violence are more likely to develop symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; that is, high levels of an...
Throughout the course of one’s lifetime, there are countless events that shape the personality, actions and mentality of that individual. Some of these events will affect the individual in a positive way allowing great life opportunities, while other events will unfortunately affect the individual in a negative way which can lead to disorders. Among the various events that can affect a person, one of the most common occurrences that some children witness early on in their lives that deeply affect their long-term mental health is being a witness to domestic violence. Research and observations that were studied revealed that there are multiple factors that can contribute to a child witnessing domestic violence. The more categories that the child falls into, the more likely they are to develop mental health issues later on in their life (Meltzer, Doos, Vostanis, Ford, and Goodman, 2009). The research conducted by Meltzer et al. (2009), was used to study the factors that were intertwined with domestic violence, as well as to better understand the needs of children who have witnessed the violence at a young age.
Women who live in violent households experience intense feelings of fear, panic, and anxiety (Jones 87). Many experience feelings of depression and shame, because they feel guilty about staying in their current situation (Jones 87). Women who are vic...
Lundy, M., & Grossman, S. F. (2005). The mental health and service needs of young children exposed to domestic violence: Supportive data. Families in Society, 86(1), 17-29. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/230168631?accountid=10825