Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Publication Date

9-12-2014

Abstract

Research indicates that thousands of women across the world suffer intimate partner violence (IPV) under the hands of their partner on a daily basis. Understanding the effects of intimate partner violence on their psychological functioning and maternal response to very young children is crucial to our understanding and provision of appropriate treatment. This qualitative study used a transcendental phenomenological approach designed to analyze the in-depth interview responses of ten Hispanic/Latina mothers of preschool-age children, who had been victims of IPV within the last year to examine these effects. Given the researchers desire to better understand the effects of IPV on these women, the focus was on obtaining the lived experiences in the words of these women including their maternal reflective functioning and the effect on their relationship with their child. In addition, the researcher attempted to discover and highlight any ethnic issues or childhood experiences, including the home atmosphere and how they were parented that participants perceived as having contributed to their being a victim of IPV. The purposefully selected sample was composed of ten Hispanic/Latina women who were mothers of preschool-age children, drawn from various agencies in a southwestern state in the United States. Data collection comprised three separate interview sessions within a 10-day period. The data were coded and organized according to the main research questions. The research revealed that for some of these women suffering childhood trauma, receiving poor parenting and exposure to IPV in their parents' marital relationship transmitted to the mother's parenting style. In other cases, women were able to overcome these negative effects and parented well. However, IPV was believed to be commonplace in the Hispanic/Latin culture and was perceived as having contributed significantly to these women as victims of IPV. In response to the study findings, recommendations are offered to family educators, counselors, and practitioners who come in contact with mothers and children suffering the plight of IPV, and suggestions for future research offered. Research indicates that thousands of women across the world suffer intimate partner violence (IPV) under the hands of their partner on a daily basis. Understanding the effects of intimate partner violence on their psychological functioning and maternal response to very young children is crucial to our understanding and provision of appropriate treatment. This qualitative study used a transcendental phenomenological approach designed to analyze the in-depth interview responses of ten Hispanic/Latina mothers of preschool-age children, who had been victims of IPV within the last year to examine these effects. Given the researcher's desire to better understand the effects of IPV on these women, the focus was on obtaining the lived experiences in the words of these women including their maternal reflective functioning and the effect on their relationship with their child. In addition, the researcher attempted to discover and highlight any ethnic issues or childhood experiences, including the home atmosphere and how they were parented that participants perceived as having contributed to their being a victim of IPV. The purposefully selected sample was composed of ten Hispanic/Latina women who were mothers of preschool-age children, drawn from various agencies in a southwestern state in the United States. Data collection comprised three separate interview sessions within a 10-day period. The data were coded and organized according to the main research questions. The research revealed that for some of these women suffering childhood trauma, receiving poor parenting and exposure to IPV in their parents' marital relationship transmitted to the mother's parenting style. In other cases, women were able to overcome these negative effects and parented well. However, IPV was believed to be commonplace in the Hispanic/Latin culture and was perceived as having contributed significantly to these women as victims of IPV. In response to the study findings, recommendations are offered to family educators, counselors, and practitioners who come in contact with mothers and children suffering the plight of IPV, and suggestions for future research offered. Research indicates that thousands of women across the world suffer intimate partner violence (IPV) under the hands of their partner on a daily basis. Understanding the effects of intimate partner violence on their psychological functioning and maternal response to very young children is crucial to our understanding and provision of appropriate treatment. This qualitative study used a transcendental phenomenological approach designed to analyze the in-depth interview responses of ten Hispanic/Latina mothers of preschool-age children, who had been victims of IPV within the last year to examine these effects. Given the researcher's desire to better understand the effects of IPV on these women, the focus was on obtaining the lived experiences in the words of these women including their maternal reflective functioning and the effect on their relationship with their child. In addition, the researcher attempted to discover and highlight any ethnic issues or childhood experiences, including the home atmosphere and how they were parented that participants perceived as having contributed to their being a victim of IPV. The purposefully selected sample was composed of ten Hispanic/Latina women who were mothers of preschool-age children, drawn from various agencies in a southwestern state in the United States. Data collection comprised three separate interview sessions within a 10-day period. The data were coded and organized according to the main research questions. The research revealed that for some of these women suffering childhood trauma, receiving poor parenting and exposure to IPV in their parents' marital relationship transmitted to the mother's parenting style. In other cases, women were able to overcome these negative effects and parented well. However, IPV was believed to be commonplace in the Hispanic/Latin culture and was perceived as having contributed significantly to these women as victims of IPV. In response to the study findings, recommendations are offered to family educators, counselors, and practitioners who come in contact with mothers and children suffering the plight of IPV, and suggestions for future research offered. Research indicates that thousands of women across the world suffer intimate partner violence (IPV) under the hands of their partner on a daily basis. Understanding the effects of intimate partner violence on their psychological functioning and maternal response to very young children is crucial to our understanding and provision of appropriate treatment. This qualitative study used a transcendental phenomenological approach designed to analyze the in-depth interview responses of ten Hispanic/Latina mothers of preschool-age children, who had been victims of IPV within the last year to examine these effects. Given the researcher's desire to better understand the effects of IPV on these women, the focus was on obtaining the lived experiences in the words of these women including their maternal reflective functioning and the effect on their relationship with their child. In addition, the researcher attempted to discover and highlight any ethnic issues or childhood experiences, including the home atmosphere and how they were parented that participants perceived as having contributed to their being a victim of IPV. The purposefully selected sample was composed of ten Hispanic/Latina women who were mothers of preschool-age children, drawn from various agencies in a southwestern state in the United States. Data collection comprised three separate interview sessions within a 10-day period. The data were coded and organized according to the main research questions. The research revealed that for some of these women suffering childhood trauma, receiving poor parenting and exposure to IPV in their parents' marital relationship transmitted to the mother's parenting style. In other cases, women were able to overcome these negative effects and parented well. However, IPV was believed to be commonplace in the Hispanic/Latin culture and was perceived as having contributed significantly to these women as victims of IPV. In response to the study findings, recommendations are offered to family educators, counselors, and practitioners who come in contact with mothers and children suffering the plight of IPV, and suggestions for future research offered.'

Keywords

intimate partner violence, maternal reflective functioning, attachment, Hispanic/Latina

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Family Studies

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Individual, Family, and Community Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

Olson, Pamela

Second Committee Member

Brainard, Marythelma

Third Committee Member

Trinidad, Ruth

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