Mediated Effects of Coping on Mental Health Outcomes of African American Women Exposed to Physical and Psychological Abuse.

Few studies have assessed the individual symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as separate mental health consequences of intimate partner abuse (IPA). This study examined the role of coping strategies associated with symptoms of PTSD in a community sample of African American women who have experienced abuse ( N = 128). The results revealed that nonphysical abuse was more prevalent than physical abuse. Specific symptoms of PTSD expressed depended on the type of abuse experienced and the type of coping strategies utilized. The findings have multiple implications on how IPA is studied as well as its clinical screening and treatment processes.