Predicting family health and well-being after separation from an abusive partner: role of coercive control, mother's depression and social support.

ABSTRACT

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Drawing on the Strengthening Capacity to Limit Intrusion theory, we tested whether intrusion (i.e. unwanted interference from coercive control, custody and access difficulties and mother's depressive symptoms) predicted family health and well-being after separation from an abusive partner/father, and whether social support moderated intrusion effects on family health and well-being. BACKGROUND: Experiences of coercive control and the negative consequences related to those experiences have been documented among women who have separated from an abusive partner. DESIGN: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from 154 adult, Canadian mothers of dependent children who had separated from an abusive partner and who participated in Wave 2 of the Women's Health Effects Study. METHODS: We used hierarchical multiple regression to test whether intrusion predicts family health and well-being as well as whether social support moderated this relationship. RESULTS: Families were found to experience considerable intrusion, yet their health and well-being was similar to population norms. Intrusion predicted 11·4% of the variance in family health and well-being, with mother's depressive symptoms as the only unique predictor. Social support accounted for an additional 9% of explained variance, but did not buffer intrusion effects on family health and well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Although women had been separated from their abusive partners for an average of 2·5 years, the majority continued to experience coercive control. On average, levels of social support and family functioning were relatively high, contrary to public and academic discourse. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE In working with these families postseparation, nurses should approach care from a strength-based perspective, and integrate tailored assessment and intervention options for women and families that address both depression and social support.