Date Presented 4/20/2018
Mothers who experience domestic violence face many challenges as they rebuild their lives. The experience impacts their roles, identity, daily routines, and ability to cope. Poorer health outcomes and stress levels affect parenting abilities, creating a potential role for occupational therapy.
Primary Author and Speaker: Tiffany Nguyen
Additional Authors and Speakers: Breanna Gonzalez, Rolando Moran, Elynn Rodriguez, and Rebecca Song
Contributing Authors: Heather Jahaverian-Dysinger, Dragana Krpalek
PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to understand the mothering experiences of women who experienced domestic violence (DV). Our research questions were as follows: What are the areas of occupations impacted? What client factors are affected? How has experiencing DV affected daily roles, routine, and habits? What is the impact of DV on mothers’ health and well-being? The lasting effects of DV can affect mothers’ physical, mental, emotional, and social health (Javaherian et al., 2007; Kaysen et al., 2007), compromising their ability to balance parental responsibilities with personal goals (Bauer et al., 2013). DV is often unreported and poorly understood by the general population. This study attempted to provide insight into the daily struggle these women experience and to identify areas of need occupational therapy practitioners can potentially work with.
METHOD: This study had a mixed method design using semistructured interviews with nine women receiving services from a DV shelter. Interviews were guided by phenomenology. Retrospective data include deidentified transcriptions and responses from assessments from January 2012 through September 2012 through a DV-based agency in Southern California providing support group services. Participants were English-speaking mothers aged 18–55 who voluntarily received or were court mandated to receive services from a DV organization. Participants had up to six children aged 0–30.
Instruments included a 17-item semistructured interview, a 10-item demographic questionnaire, the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed in Dedoose (Los Angeles, CA) using steps of first-cycle and second-cycle coding (Miles et al., 2014). Code application was used in Dedoose to identify patterns and frequencies across the nine interviews. Descriptive statistics were used with quantitative data.
RESULTS: Themes that emerged from the nine women’s interview responses included impact of DV on the individual self, effect of DV on the mothering role, management of daily routines and basic activities of daily living, facing barriers and lack of support, and recognition of internal drive. Results from the MOS and PSI suggest that on average, the participants experienced higher levels of stress and poorer medical outcomes compared with the standard population.
CONCLUSION: These themes give insight into the daily routines and struggles that women who have experienced DV face when engaging in their role as a mother. Our findings suggest that mothers of DV struggle to balance parental responsibilities with personal life. Occupational therapy practitioners can work with this population to strategize with survivors struggling to find and balance work and education; incorporate lifestyle redesign to address health issues like chronic fatigue, anxiety and stress, depression, weight management, and other medical conditions; manage sleep dysfunction by helping establish proper sleep routines; explore coping mechanisms such as breathing techniques, guided imagery, and journaling to reduce stress and process traumatic experiences; and encourage development of social support and participation through community events, family activities, and socialization with others. Occupational therapy has the unique big picture blend of addressing roles, routines, rituals, and habits using client-driven volition to set realistic goals, and practitioners can play an essential role in advocating for these women whose voices are often unheard.
References
Bauer, S. N., Gilbert, L. A., Carroll, E. A., & Downs, M. S. (2013). Associations of early exposure to intimate partner violence and parental depression with subsequent mental health outcomes. JAMA Pediatrics, 167, 341–347. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.780
Javaherian, H., Krabacher, V., Andriacco, K., & German, D. (2007). Surviving domestic violence: Rebuilding one’s life. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 21(3), 35–59. https://doi.org/10.1300/J003v21n03_03
Kaysen, D., Dillworth, T. M., Simpson, T., Waldrop, A., Larimer, M. E., & Resick, P. A. (2007). Domestic violence and alcohol use: Trauma-related symptoms and motives for drinking. Addictive Behaviors, 32, 1272–1283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2006.09.007
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
