Women? Outcome Data 4 Months After Receiving Services Associated With Less Violence and Better Functioning for Abused Is Length of Shelter Stay and Receipt of a Protection Order On behalf of: American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children can be f

Abstract To provide differential effectiveness on length of stay at a shelter and receipt versus non-receipt of a protection order (PO), and outcomes of violence, functioning, and resiliency, in 300 abused women (150 first-time users of a shelter and 150 first-time applicants for a PO) who participate in a 7-year study with outcomes measured every 4 months. Four months after a shelter stay or application for a PO, abused women staying 21 days or less at a shelter reported similar outcomes compared with women staying longer than 21 days. Similarly, women receiving and not receiving a PO reported overall equivalent outcomes. Seeking shelter or justice services results i

Problem-Solving and Mental Health Outcomes of Women and Children in the Wake of Intimate Partner Violence

The environmental stress of intimate partner violence is common and often results in mental health problems of depression, anxiety, and PTSD for women and behavioral dysfunctions for their children. Problem-solving skills can serve to mitigate or accentuate the environmental stress of violence and associated impact on mental health. To better understand the relationship between problemsolving skills and mental health of abused women with children, a cross-sectional predictive analysis of 285 abused women who used justice or shelter services was completed. The women were asked about social problem-solving, and mental health symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD as well as behavioral functioning of their children. Higher negative problem-solving scores were associated with significantly ( < 0.001) greater odds of having clinically significant levels of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and somatization for the woman and significantly ( < 0.001) greater odds of her child having borderline or clinically significant levels of both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. A predominately negative problem-solving approach was strongly associated with poorer outcomes for both mothers and children in the aftermath of the environmental stress of abuse. Interventions addressing problem-solving ability may be beneficial in increasing abused women's abilities to navigate the daily stressors of life following abuse. The 300 women and children who allow us to record their pain and recovery take emotional risks each time we meet. As one woman said "I want to talk but it hurts to remember. " We thank each woman who chose to remember and dedicate the findings of this research to her courage and determinatio