Sexual Orientation, Health, and Well-Being in Spanish People.

Although several studies have found disparities in health outcomes between heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)-identifying individuals, few studies have focused on subjective well-being and protective factors for health and well-being. The purpose of this work is twofold: (1) to examine the relevance of sexual orientation to health and well-being in women and men; (2) to identify protective and risk factors for psychological distress, self-rated health, and well-being for gay men, lesbian women, bisexual women and men, and heterosexual women and men. The sample consisted of 908 women and 586 men from the general Spanish population aged 16-64, half of whom identified themselves as LGB and half as heterosexual. All were assessed using eight questionnaires and inventories. The results showed that differences varied depending on the health indicator considered. In general, bisexuals had the poorest health, with lower self-rated health and lower self-esteem. In all groups, self-esteem was a protective factor against psychological distress and was associated with better health and well-being. To a lesser extent, social support served as a protective factor against psychological distress and was associated with greater well-being in all groups. It is concluded that although sexual orientation is relevant to the health and well-being of individuals, there are differences among sexual minorities, with bisexuals having lower self-esteem than homosexuals.

Gender, psychological distress, and subjective well-being two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

This study aimed to examine gender differences in distress and well-being two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzing risk and protective factors for psychological distress and subjective well-being. It is a repeated cross-sectional study with a sample of 1,588 women (50%) and men (50%) from the general Spanish population aged 18-74 years who were assessed online by seven questionnaires and scales. Descriptive, variance, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. From February to April 2022, 57.4% of women and 38.7% of men had psychological distress, percentages that totaled 50.5% and 41.5%, respectively, from October 2022 to February 2023. Women also had greater perceived vulnerability to diseases, more negative feelings, and lower affect balance, resilience, and self-esteem than men. The most important predictors of greater psychological distress refer to lower self-esteem, resilience, and social support and higher perceived vulnerability to diseases. Other statistically significant predictors included lower educational level in women and neither being married nor living with a partner in men. Lower self-esteem also best predicted lower subjective well-being, with lower social support and lower resilience also constituting significant predictors. Moreover, lower educational level and higher perceived vulnerability to diseases statistically and significantly predicted lower subjective well-being in women, as did not being a student in men. We conclude that psychological distress remains greatly prevalent in Spain two years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in women.

Gender, psychological distress, and subjective well-being two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain / Género, trastorno psicológico y bienestar subjetivo a dos años del inicio de la pandemia de COVID-19 en España / Gênero, distúrbio psicológico e bem-estar subjetivo dois anos após o início da pandemia da COVID-19 na Espanha

Abstract This study aimed to examine gender differences in distress and well-being two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzing risk and protective factors for psychological distress and subjective well-being. It is a repeated cross-sectional study with a sample of 1,588 women (50%) and men (50%) from the general Spanish population aged 18-74 years who were assessed online by seven questionnaires and scales. Descriptive, variance, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. From February to April 2022, 57.4% of women and 38.7% of men had psychological distress, percentages that totaled 50.5% and 41.5%, respectively, from October 2022 to February 2023. Women also had greater perceived vulnerability to diseases, more negative feelings, and lower affect balance, resilience, and self-esteem than men. The most important predictors of greater psychological distress refer to lower self-esteem, resilience, and social support and higher perceived vulnerability to diseases. Other statistically significant predictors included lower educational level in women and neither being married nor living with a partner in men. Lower self-esteem also best predicted lower subjective well-being, with lower social support and lower resilience also constituting significant predictors. Moreover, lower educational level and higher perceived vulnerability to diseases statistically and significantly predicted lower subjective well-being in women, as did not being a student in men. We conclude that psychological distress remains greatly prevalent in Spain two years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in women.

Resumen Este estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar las diferencias de género en distrés psicológico y en el bienestar a dos años del inicio de la pandemia de COVID-19, analizando factores de riesgo y de protección para distrés psicológico y bienestar subjetivo. Se trata de un estudio transversal repetido con una muestra de 1.588 individuos de la población general de España, 50% mujeres y 50% hombres, con edades comprendidas entre 18 y 74 años. Los participantes fueron evaluados en línea mediante 7 cuestionarios y escalas. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos, de varianza y de regresión múltiple jerárquica. Entre febrero y abril del 2022, el 57,4% de las mujeres y el 38,7% de los hombres presentaron distrés psicológico, con porcentajes del 50,5% y 41,5%, respectivamente, entre octubre del 2022 y febrero del 2023. Las mujeres también presentaron una mayor vulnerabilidad percibida a la enfermedad, más sentimientos negativos, menos equilibrio afectivo y menor resiliencia y autoestima que los hombres. Los indicadores más importantes de un mayor distrés psicológico fueron la baja autoestima, la baja resiliencia, el escaso apoyo social y una mayor vulnerabilidad percibida a la enfermedad. Otros indicadores estadísticamente significativos fueron los siguientes: bajo nivel de educación entre las mujeres y no estar casado o no vivir con una compañera entre los hombres. La baja autoestima también fue el mejor indicador de un bajo bienestar subjetivo; además, el escaso apoyo social y la baja resiliencia también fueron indicadores importantes. Además, el bajo nivel de educación y la alta vulnerabilidad percibida a la enfermedad fueron indicadores estadísticamente significativos de bajo bienestar subjetivo entre las mujeres y de no ser estudiantes entre los hombres. Concluimos que el distrés psicológico sigue siendo muy prevalente en España dos años después del inicio de la pandemia de COVID-19, especialmente entre las mujeres.

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar as diferenças de gênero em estresse psicológico e no bem-estar dois anos após o início da pandemia da COVID-19, analisando fatores de risco e de proteção para estresse psicológico e bem-estar subjetivo. Este foi um estudo transversal repetido com amostra de 1.588 indivíduos da população geral da Espanha - 50% do sexo feminino e 50% do sexo masculino, com idade entre 18 e 74 anos. Os participantes foram avaliados online por meio de sete questionários e escalas. Foram realizadas análises descritivas, de variância e de regressão múltipla hierárquica. Entre fevereiro e abril de 2022, 57,4% das mulheres e 38,7% dos homens apresentaram estresse psicológico, com porcentagens de 50,5% e 41,5%, respetivamente, entre outubro de 2022 e fevereiro de 2023. As mulheres também apresentaram maior vulnerabilidade percebida à doença, mais sentimentos negativos, menor equilíbrio afetivo e menor resiliência e autoestima do que os homens. Os indicadores mais importantes de maior estresse psicológico foram baixa autoestima, baixa resiliência, baixo apoio social e maior vulnerabilidade percebida à doença. Outros indicadores estatisticamente significativos foram: baixo nível de escolaridade entre as mulheres e não ser casado ou não viver com uma companheira entre os homens. Baixa autoestima também foi o melhor indicador de baixo bem-estar subjetivo; além disso, baixo apoio social e baixa resiliência também foram indicadores significativos. Além disso, baixo nível de escolaridade e alta vulnerabilidade percebida à doença foram indicadores estatisticamente significativos de baixo bem-estar subjetivo entre as mulheres e de não ser estudante entre os homens. Concluímos que estresse psicológico ainda é muito prevalente na Espanha dois anos após o início da pandemia da COVID-19, principalmente entre as mulheres.

Dating Violence and Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood.

Dating violence constitutes a serious social and health problem. This study aims to increase knowledge on dating violence in emerging adulthood by analysing the relevance of gender and of having or not having a current partner in the victimization and perpetration of such violence. It also analyses the association between dating violence and mental health, as well as the relevance of traditional gender role attitudes and the internalization of feminine/expressive and masculine/instrumental traits in the victimization and perpetration of such types of violence. The participants were 930 Spanish emerging adults who were assessed by six self-report questionnaires and scales. Men reported more psychological and physical violence victimization and physical violence perpetration than women, and women and men without a current partner reported more psychological and sexual violence than women and men with a current partner. Dating violence victimization was associated with more mental symptomatology, less life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem in men with a current partner and in women without a current partner. The main predictor of dating violence victimization was dating violence perpetration, and the main predictor of dating violence perpetration was victimization by such violence. More traditional gender role attitudes also predicted greater victimization and perpetration of dating violence, except among women without a current partner.

Mental Symptoms, Life Satisfaction and Sexual Orientation: A Gender Analysis.

Research has revealed that homosexual and bisexual people are at higher risk of mental health problems than heterosexual people. However, most studies have focused on differences in disorders and have not examined the intersection of gender and sexual orientation. The main aim of this study is to investigate the relevance of sexual orientation in women's and men's mental symptoms, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 309 women and men who were homosexual or bisexual and 309 women and men who were heterosexual, aged between 17 and 54. All participants were assessed by four self-reports measuring mental symptoms, life satisfaction, self-esteem, masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits, and traditional gender role attitudes. Results showed an interaction between sexual orientation and gender, with lesbian or bisexual women scoring higher in severe depression symptoms and lower in life satisfaction than heterosexual women. Homosexual and bisexual people scored higher than heterosexuals in somatic symptoms, social dysfunction, and in self-esteem. Women scored higher than men in somatic, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms and in feminine/expressive traits, whereas men scored higher than women in traditional gender role attitudes. We conclude that sexual orientation and gender are relevant to the mental health and well-being of people.

Gender, life events, and mental well-being in emerging adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Emerging adulthood is a critical period of life involving many life transitions that may generate stress and compromise health and mental well-being. AIMS: To know the most frequent life events of women and men in emerging adulthood, analyzing also the relevance that such stressors have on their psychological well-being and life satisfaction. A second aim is to determine the relevance of age, educational level, most frequent life events, coping styles, and perceived social support as risk and protective factors for well-being. METHOD: The sample consisted of 2,000 individuals from the general Spanish population (55% women), aged between 18 and 29, who were assessed using five questionnaires and scales measuring life events, coping styles, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and social support. RESULTS: The findings showed that 90% of the sample had experienced one or more life events during the previous year and that a higher number of life events experienced over the past year was associated with lower mental well-being. Multiple regression analyses made clear that, although some events experienced in the previous year (namely, family conflicts and change in the relationship with parents) were associated with lower women's and men's well-being, the most important determinants of well-being in either gender were coping styles; however, some predictors of women's well-being proved different from those of men. In the case of women, family and intimate partner conflicts predicted lower life satisfaction and psychological well-being was lower in the case of family conflicts. As for men, work or academic life events predicted lower life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: These research findings are relevant for the design of programs and strategies to improve mental well-being in emerging adulthood.

Gender differences in mental distress and affect balance during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major threat to the health and well-being of people around the world that has impacted freedom of movement, social interaction and the economy. The aim of the present work was twofold: first, to study the presence of mental distress, positive and negative experiences and affect balance in women and men in Spain in two different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, the initial "first state of alarm" phase, characterized by maximum restrictions, and in the "new normal" phase with minimal restrictions, and second, to study the protective role of age, educational level, self-esteem, marital status and social support against mental distress, and as factors that increase the affect balance of women and men in the above mentioned phases of the first wave of the COVID- 19 pandemic in Spain. The study sample consisted of 652 women and 652 men from the general population, aged between 18 and 88 years, who were evaluated through self-reports. Results show greater mental distress in women than men but, strikingly, the magnitude of such differences were greater in the "new normal" phase than in the maximum restriction phase. In addition, in this last phase, women also experienced more negative feelings and less affect balance than men. High self-esteem and social support were also found to be protective factors for mental health, both in women and men, during the two phases of the pandemic studied. In conclusion, our study shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has especially impacted the well-being of women.

Gender, Stress, and Well-Being in Adulthood.

Exposure to stressors may be one of the most critical components of health and well-being. Although research on stress and health abounds, most studies have focused on establishing that stress is harmful to physical and mental health whereas less attention has been paid to analysing the effects of stress on well-being. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relevance of gender in the association of stress with well-being in adulthood. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1578 women and 1507 men from the Spanish general population aged between 30 and 59. All participants were assessed by eight self-reports measuring chronic stress, life events, daily hassles, eudaimonic well-being, life satisfaction, masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits, coping styles, and social support. Although stress does not affect women's eudaimonic well-being, a greater number of life events and more daily hassles rendered lower life satisfaction in women. Men's greater chronic stress was associated with lower eudaimonic well-being and life satisfaction; moreover, a greater number of life events was associated with men's lower life satisfaction. We conclude that gender is relevant in the stress and well-being of adults as well as in the association between stress and well-being.

Stress and Psychological Distress in Emerging Adulthood: A Gender Analysis.

Emerging adulthood is a critical period of life that entails many life transitions in living arrangements, relationships, education and employment, which can generate stress and psychological distress in the emerging adult. The aim of the present study was to assess the relevance of stress, coping styles, self-esteem and perceived social support in the distress of emerging adult women and men. The sample consists of 4816 people (50% females) from the Spanish general population, ranging in age from 18 to 29 years old. All participants were assessed through questionnaires and scales that assess psychological distress, stress, coping styles, self-esteem and social support. Women scored higher than men in psychological distress, chronic stress, minor daily hassles, emotional coping style and social support, whereas men scored higher than women in rational and detachment coping styles and in self-esteem. Psychological distress was significantly predicted in women and men by high emotional coping style, lower self-esteem, high number of life events, and less social support. Another statistically significant predictor in men was less detachment coping style, whereas in women it was high chronic stress. The results of this research are relevant to healthcare professionals interested in improving the mental health of the emerging adult.

The Importance of Work-Related Events and Changes in Psychological Distress and Life Satisfaction amongst Young Workers in Spain: A Gender Analysis.

A relentless stream of social, technological, and economic changes have impacted the workplace, affecting young people in particular. Such changes can be a major source of stress and can cause a threat to health and well-being. The aim of this paper is to understand the importance of work-related events and changes in the psychological distress and life satisfaction of young workers in Spain. A transversal study was carried out on a sample comprising 509 men and 396 women aged between 26 and 35 years old. The results showed that there were no differences between the men and women in the number of work-related events and changes experienced in the last 12 months, nor in terms of job satisfaction. The results from the multiple regression analysis showed that a greater number of work-related events and changes experienced during the last 12 months were associated with increased psychological distress and reduced life satisfaction amongst men, but this was not the case for women. Although job satisfaction was independent from the men and women's psychological distress when self-esteem and social support was included in the regression equation, greater job satisfaction was associated with greater life satisfaction for both men and women. It concludes that work-related events and job satisfaction are important for the health and well-being of young people, even though a larger number of work-related events and changes is associated with increased psychological distress and reduced life satisfaction for men only.

Gender, exercise, and health: A life-course cross-sectional study.

The purpose of this study is to explore relationships between the practice of exercise, gender, and health, from adolescence to old age, testing the magnitude of gender differences throughout the life cycle in the practice of exercise of Spanish people. A cross-sectional study with 4,575 women and 4,334 men, aged 13-85 years, was conducted. The participants were assessed on the weekly hours they dedicated to the practice of exercise, masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits, mental health symptomatology, and self-rated health). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed in the age groups of adolescence, late adolescence, young adulthood, middle adulthood, and older age. Results showed that men dedicated significantly more hours to the practice of exercise than women within all age groups, except in older age (men´s average = 4.07; women´s average = 2.55). The masculine/instrumental trait played a mediating role between gender and practice of exercise hours. Furthermore, a decline in the amount of time dedicated to exercise from adolescence to older age was found, with higher drops in men. Finally, the practice of exercise was associated with better self-rated health and less mental symptoms. These results underline the important role that gender and masculine-instrumental trait play on the practice of exercise .

Gender and psychological well-being in older adults.

OBJECTIVES: Gender is an important social determinant of health, but gender has played only a marginal role in the geriatric and gerontology research and practice. The aim of this study was to examine the relevance of gender to the psychological well-being of older adults. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted. SETTING: The study was carried out in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1,201 people aged between 65 and 94. MEASUREMENTS: The participants completed sociodemographic data and four questionnaires: The Bem sex role inventory, the Ryff's psychological well-being scale, the York self-esteem inventory, and the Social support scale. RESULTS: Men scored higher than women in self-acceptance, autonomy, purpose in life, and environmental mastery. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that, although the most important predictors of psychological well-being in both women and men were self-esteem and social support, both masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits were associated with higher psychological well-being, although the effect size was higher for the masculine/instrumental trait. Furthermore, education was associated with psychological well-being in the case of females. CONCLUSIONS: Gender plays an important role in the psychological well-being of older adults. The results of this research are relevant for healthcare providers and policy-makers interested in promoting successful aging and increasing the well-being of older people.

Gender and Psychological Well-Being.

Background: Research has consistently reported gender differences in mental health, but studies on differences in psychological well-being between women and men have not yielded conclusive results. The aim of this study was to examine the relevance of gender to the psychological well-being of adult individuals. A cross-sectional study with a sample of 1700 men and 1700 women from the general Spanish population was conducted. Their ages ranged from 21 to 64 years, and they were assessed with Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scales and the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Results: Men scored higher than women in self-acceptance and autonomy, and women scored higher than men in personal growth and positive relations with others. The most relevant variable in the psychological well-being of both women and men was high masculinity. Other relevant variables in women's well-being were high femininity, not having a manual occupation, not being homemakers, and professional occupation. Men´s well-being also was higher in professional men and in men with a skilled non-manual occupation, men with high femininity and men who were not single, divorced or widowed. Conclusions: Adherence to traditional gender roles is relevant to the psychological well-being of women and men, and women and men whose self-concept includes both masculine-instrumental and feminine-expressive characteristics have greater well-being.

Relevance of Gender and Social Support in Self-Rated Health and Life Satisfaction in Elderly Spanish People.

Background: Gender and social support are important social determinants of health, but the relevance of such variables in older people's health has raised less scholarly attention than in younger age groups. This study examines the relevance of gender and social support in the self-rated health and life satisfaction of elderly Spanish people. A cross-sectional study with a sample of 702 men and 754 women aged between 60 and 94 years was conducted. All participants were evaluated through questionnaires that assess gender role traits, social support, and life satisfaction. Results: Men scored higher than women in masculine/instrumental trait and in life satisfaction whereas women scored higher than men in feminine/expressive trait. Results from multiple regression analyses indicated that women and men presenting higher social support had better self-rated health and higher life satisfaction. High scores in masculine/instrumental trait also proved to be an important predictor of men's and women's high life satisfaction and of women's better self-rated health, whereas the high feminine/expressive trait predicted better self-rated health in the men group. A high educational level was associated in the women's group with better self-rated health and higher life satisfaction. Conclusions: We conclude that gender and social support are important social determinants of health among older people.

Masculine/Instrumental and Feminine/Expressive Traits and Health, Well-Being, and Psychological Distress in Spanish Men.

Many studies have explored the relationship between masculine norms and men's health outcomes. There are few recent studies published on the relationship between masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits and men's health and well-being. The current cross-sectional study examines whether masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits are associated to men's health and well-being. Participants were 1,870 Spanish men, aged 21 to 64 years. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the masculine/instrumental trait and the feminine/expressive trait were positively related to men's psychological well-being and self-rated health, so that men whose self-concept includes both masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive characteristics presented greater psychological well-being and better self-rated health. The feminine/expressive trait was associated with lower psychological distress yet only in case of men with low social support. Self-esteem and social support were important predictors of men's health, in such a way that men who had high self-esteem and social support reported higher ratings of psychological well-being, better self-rated health, and less psychological distress. The implications of these findings for promoting men's health and well-being are discussed.

Psychological Distress and Social Functioning in Elderly Spanish People: A Gender Analysis.

Psychological distress has been considered a key component in the psychosocial functioning and functional disability of the elderly, but the determining factors of social functioning and psychological distress in the elderly people are not yet fully known. The aim of this study is to perform a gender analysis of the relevance of psychological distress and psychosocial factors in the social functioning of the elderly. A cross-sectional study with a sample of 589 men and 684 women from the general Spanish population aged between 65 and 94 years was conducted. All participants were evaluated through questionnaires and scales that assess psychological distress, social functioning, stress, coping styles, self-esteem and social support. Results: Women scored higher than men in psychological distress, chronic stress, emotional coping and instrumental social support, whereas men scored higher than women in self-esteem and rational coping. Psychological distress was significantly associated in women and men with worse social functioning, which was also lower in older people and in women with lower self-esteem. Psychological distress has a considerable impact on the social functioning of the elderly, and gender is a relevant factor in the psychological distress experienced and its predictors.

Eficacia de un programa de intervención para mujeres maltratadas por su pareja / Efficacy of an intervention program for battered women

Estudio en el que se analiza la eficacia de un tratamiento psicológico para mujeres maltratadas por su pareja. La muestra está formada por 107 mujeres maltratadas por su pareja con edades comprendidas entre 23 y 64 años (media = 39.64, DT = 9.87) y características sociodemográficas diversas. Se utilizó un diseño cuasi-experimental con dos grupos independientes (intervención y control) y medidas repetidas (pretratamiento, posttratamiento y seguimientos a los 3 y 6 meses de finalizada la intervención). Las mujeres del grupo con intervención mostraron disminuciones significativas, tanto desde el punto de vista estadístico como clínico, en la sintomatología de estrés postraumático de reexperimentación, evitación y aumento de la activación. También disminuyó su sintomatología depresiva y de ansiedad y aumentó su autoestima y apoyo social. Y dicha mejora se mantuvo en los seguimientos realizados a los 3 y 6 meses de finalizado el programa de intervención.

This study analyzed the efficacy of a psychological treatment program for battered women. The sample consisted of 107 battered women aged between 23 and 64 years-old (mean age = 39.64, SD = 9.87) and with diverse sociodemographic characteristics. A quasi-experimental design of two independent groups (intervention and control) and with repeated measures (pre-treatment, post-treatment and three and six month follow-up) has been used. Women in the intervention group experienced statistically and clinical significant decreases in posttraumatic stress symptoms of reexperienced the traumatic event, avoidance and symptoms of increased arousal. Also experienced significant and clinical decreases in depressive and anxiety symptoms and significant increases in self-esteem and social support. Gains were maintained at 3- and 6-months follow-ups.

Gender differences in psychological distress in Spain.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Epidemiological and community-based surveys consistently report gender differences in mental health. This study examines gender differences in psychological distress by analyzing the relevance of stress, coping styles, social support and the time use. METHODS: Psychological tests were administered to a convenience sample of 1,337 men and 1,251 women from the Spanish general population, aged between 18 and 65 and with different socio-demographic characteristics, although both the women and men groups had similar age and educational levels. RESULTS: Women had more psychological distress than men. Although psychological distress in the women and men groups have some common correlates such as more stress, more emotional and less rational coping and less social support, we find some gender differences. Work role dissatisfaction was more associated with distress in the men than in the women group. In addition, women's distress was associated with more daily time devoted to childcare and less to activities they enjoy, and men's distress was associated with more time devoted to housework and less to physical exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Social roles traditionally attributed to women and men - and the differences in the use of time that such roles entail - are relevant in gender differences in psychological distress.

Eficacia de un programa de tratamiento psicológico individual para mujeres maltratadas por su pareja / Efficacy of an individual psychological treatment for battered women

El objetivo del presente trabajo es evaluar la eficacia de un programa de intervención psicológica individual para mujeres maltratadas por su pareja. La muestra está formada por un total de 128 mujeres maltratadas por su pareja, usuarias de servicios públicos especializados, con edades comprendidas entre 18 y 67 años (M = 38.49, DT = 9.20) y diferente estado civil y niveles educativo y laboral. Noventa y seis de ellas participaron en el programa de intervención protocolizado que se puso a prueba en el presente estudio y 32 no participaron, las cuales se consideraron como grupo de control. Se encontró que las mujeres que participaron en la intervención psicológica experimentaron tras ésta una reducción estadísticamente significativa de la sintomatología depresiva, ansiosa y de tipo postraumático, así como de la inseguridad en sí mismas. Además, aumentó su autoestima y confianza en sí mismas, cambios que no se dieron en las mujeres que no participaron en dicho programa y que se mantuvieron en el seguimiento. La mejoría de la salud mental de las mujeres también fue significativa a nivel clínico. Se concluye la eficacia del programa de intervención psicológica puesto a prueba

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an individual psychological treatment for battered women. The sample comprises a total of 128 women battered by their partners, users of public services, aged between 18 and 67 years (M = 38.49, SD = 9.20), and with different marital status and educational and occupational levels. Ninety-six of them participated in the protocol-centered intervention program assessed in the present study, whereas 32 were not involved and were considered as control group. Results show a statistically significant reduction of posttraumatic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms as well as of self-insecurity in women who received psychological intervention. In addition, whereas the latter experienced an increase of self-esteem and self-confidence, women who did not participate in the program did not observe such changes. Moreover, these changes remained constant in the follow-up. The improvement of women’s mental health was also significant at the clinical level. We thus conclude that these findings prove the efficacy of this psychological intervention program