Formal help-seeking among intimate partner violence survivors: identifying survivors’ characteristics and variations between Latinas and non-Latinas

Intimate partner violence (IPV) harms survivors' well-being. These consequences are particularly detrimental for women of color due to existing health disparities and social inequities. Although accessing services (formal help) can improve the well-being of survivors and decrease the likelihood of re-victimization, only a small number of women seek formal help. While many factors are known to deter help-seeking behaviors, we still do not know much about who are the survivors who access services. Additionally, not enough attention has been given to understanding the experiences of women of color, specifically Latinas. As such, the objective of this dissertation was to identify and better understand the characteristics of women who seek formal help, paying close attention to the characteristics of Latinas. This dissertation had three aims: To (1) develop and validate a scale to assess attitudes about seeking formal help; (2) profile and predict the characteristics of survivors who seek formal help; and (3) identify socio-cultural factors associated with mental health symptoms. This project used data from the Testing and Validating Financial Measures with IPV Survivors, funded by the National Institute of Justice (# 2017-VA-CX-0032). Data were collected from New Jersey, New York, and Puerto Rico between 2018 and 2020. A total of 417 women receiving services from a domestic violence organization were interviewed: 209 in English and 208 in Spanish. The sample consisted of 63% Latinas, 21% Blacks/African-Americans, 10% other, and 6% Whites. To address Aim 1, I used a calibration validation analytical strategy to test the validity of the newly developed scale. I conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). I then applied multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling to assess language (English and Spanish) and Latina ethnic differences in the scale functioning (measurement invariance). Finally, I tested for construct validity by testing the correlation of the scale with two conceptually relevant variables. For Aim 2, I used multivariate normal mixture modeling to identify groups of similar women based on their attitudes towards seeking formal help, fatalistic and traditional gender roles views and their IPV experiences. I used Vermunt's 3-step approach to predict the likelihood of group membership based on socio-demographic factors and mental health symptoms. Aim 3 was addressed by conducting a path model assessing the relationship between fatalism, traditional gender roles, length of services received, attitudes about seeking formal help, IPV, and mental health symptoms. Multiple group analyses were conducted to test the moderation effect of survivors' ethnicity (Latina and non-Latina) and language (English and Spanish). Some of the major findings from these analyses are: Aim 1, results provide empirical support for utilizing the newly developed scale of Attitudes about Seeking Formal Help in the context of IPV. Findings also provide support for the scale usage across populations: Latina and non-Latina and Spanish and English speaking survivors. Aim 2, findings revealed four profiles of women based on their endorsement of cultural beliefs and IPV stigma and IPV experiences: moderately low endorsement/low violence, low endorsement/high violence with high economic abuse, moderate endorsement/highest violence, and highest endorsement/high violence with moderate economic abuse. Results also highlighted the significant role of education in categorizing women into profiles. Aim 3, results indicated that fatalism indirectly impacts anxiety and PTSD symptoms through partner violence. However, the indirect effect of fatalism on anxiety symptoms is only statistically significant for English-speaking survivors. Other patterns in the model also differed based on survivors' preferred language. Overall, these findings can inform future research and practice with IPV survivors in general and, in particular, Latinas. The scale of Attitudes about Seeking Formal Help can be useful in secondary and tertiary prevention areas. Practitioners could use this tool to assess and identify IPV stigma, which may contribute to survivors' discontinuation of services. Similarly, a better understanding of the profiles of women who initiate formal help-seeking could help craft specific programs and train service providers to help improve their clients' well-being. Lastly, addressing fatalistic views (passive ones) can influence IPV exposure and survivors' mental health symptoms. However, I caution the field against efforts to eliminate fatalistic values. Instead, efforts should focus on understanding IPV survivors' meaning-making of fatalism and generate strength-based interventions focused on the positive aspects of this cultural belief. In conclusion, this dissertation accentuates the need to explore differences among IPV survivors, including within Latinas, and promotes the development of culturally sensitive services.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical reference