Abstract
The study focused on differences between women who left shelters for battered women and returned to their partners, versus those who stayed in the shelter for over 3 months. The study was conducted in battered women’s shelters in Israel, and examined the contribution of women’s internal resources (self-esteem and empowerment) to their life satisfaction, as well as the contribution of integration (participation and commitment) in the shelter at the time of their arrival to their satisfaction with their life. Findings indicate that, among the group of women who stayed in the shelter, personal resources as well as participation and commitment contributed to their life satisfaction. Among the group of women who left the shelter, only commitment contributed to life satisfaction.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker, P. L. (1997). And I went back: Battered women’s negotiations of choice. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 26, 55–74.
Berk, R. A., Newton, P. L., & Berk, S. F. (1986). What a difference a day makes: An empirical study of the impact of shelters for battered women. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 48, 481–490.
Boyd, A. S. (1997). The relationship between the level of personal empowerment and quality of life among psychosocial clubhouse members and consumer operated drop in center participation. Dissertation Abstract International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 58(3-A), 1089.
Burman, S. (2003). Battered women: Stages of change and other treatment models that instigate and sustain leaving. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 3(1), 83–98.
Busch, N. B., & Valentine, D. (2000). Empowerment practice: A focus on battered women. Affilia, 15, 82–95.
Campbell, A. (1976). Subjective measures of well being. American Psychologist, 31, 117–124.
Campbell, R., Sullivan, C. M., & Davidson II, W. S. (1995). Women who use domestic violence shelters, change in depression over time. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 19, 237–255.
Checkway, B. (1995). Six strategies of community change. Community Development Journal, 31, 2–20.
Cohen, A. (1999). The relation between commitment forms and work outcomes: Jewish and Arab culture. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 54, 371–391.
Cook, J., & Wall, Y. (1980). New work attitude measures of trust, organizational commitment and personal need non fulfillment. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 53, 39–52.
Diener, E., & Diener, M. (1995). Cross cultural correlates of life satisfaction and self esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68, 653–666.
Diener, E., Shu, E., Lucas, R., & Smith, H. (1999). Subjective well being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276–302.
Dutton, M. A. (1992). Empowering and healing the battered women: A model for assessment and intervention. New York: Springer.
Eisikovits, Z., Buchbinder, E., & Mor, M. (1998). “What it was won’t be anymore”: reaching the turning point in coping with intimate violence. Affilia, 13, 411–434.
Eisikovits, Z., Winstok, Z., & Fishman, G. (2004). The first Israeli national survey on domestic violence. Violence Against Women, 10, 729–748.
Fisher, A. (1999). The relationship between empowerment among adolescents and their involvement in community life. Unpublished master’s thesis, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel (Hebrew).
Gondolf, E. W., & Fisher, E. R. (1988). Battered women as survivors: An alternative to treating learned helplessness. Lexington, MA: Lextington Books.
Herbert, T. B., Silver, R. C., & Ellard, J. H. (1991). Coping with an abusive relationship. Part I: How and why do women stay? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 311–325.
Hilbert, J. C., Kolia, R., & VanLeeuwen, D. (1997). Abused women in New Mexican shelter. Affilia, 12, 391–400.
Hodtov, B. (2001). The relationship between the sense of empowerment and the level of participation of parent of infants with special needs. Unpublished Master’s thesis, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel (Hebrew).
Hong, L. K., & Guff, R. W. (1997). Relative importance of spouses, children and friend in the life satisfaction of retirement community residents. Journal of Clinical Geropsychology, 3, 275–282.
Itzhaky, H., & Schwartz, H. (1998). Empowering the disabled: a multidimensional approach. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 21, 301–310.
Itzhaky, H., & York, A. S. (1994). Different types of client participation and the effects on community social work intervention. Journal of Social Work Research, 19, 85–98.
Johnson, I. M. (1992). Economic, situational and psychological correlates of the decision making process of battered women. Families in Society, 73(3), 168–176.
Kearney, P., Plax, T. G., & Lentz, P. S. (1985). Participation in community organizations and socioeconomic status as determinants of senior’s life satisfaction. Activities Adaptation and Aging, 6(4), 31–37.
Kiesler, C. A. (1971). The psychology of commitment. New York: Academic.
Koren, P. E., De Chillo, N., & Friesen, B. (1992). Measuring empowerment in families. Rehabilitation Psychology, 37, 305–321.
Krishnan, S. P., Hilbert, J. C., McNeil, K., & Newman, I. (2004). From respite to transition: Women's use of domestic violence shelters in rural New Mexico. Journal of Family Violence, 19, 165–173.
Lesser, B. (1990). Attachment and situational factors influencing battered women's return to their mates following a shelter program. In K. Pottharst (Ed.) Research exploration in adult attachment (pp. 81–128). New York: Peter Lang.
Lipschitz-Elhawi, R. (1999). The relationship between sense of empowerment and Adjustment of adolescent in a boarding school. Unpublished master’s thesis, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel (Hebrew).
Marcos, Y., & Doron, N. (1988). Young families in Israel. Ramat Gan, Israel: Bar Ilan University Press.
McNamara, J. R., Ertl, M. A., Marsh, S., & Walker, S. (1997). Short term response to counseling and case management intervention in a domestic violence shelter. Psychological Report, 81, 1243–1251.
Nelson, G., Wiltshire, C., Hall, G. B., & Peirson, L. (1995). Psychiatric consumer survivor’s quality of life: Quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Journal of Community Psychology, 23, 216–233.
Parkerson, G. R., Broadhead, W. E., & Tse, C. J. (1990). The health status and life satisfaction of first year medical students. Academic Medicine, 65, 586–588.
Peled, E., Eisikovits, Z., Enosh, G., & Winstock, Z. (2000). Choice and empowerment for battered women who stay: Towards constructivist model. Social Work, 45, 9–25.
Racino, J. A., & Heunann, J. E. (1992). Independent living and community life: Building coalitions among elders people with disabilities and our allies. Generations, 16, 43–47.
Register, E. (1993). Feminism and recovering from battering: Working with the individual women. In M. Hansen, & M. Harway (Eds.) Battering and family therapy: Feminist perspective (pp. 93–105). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Revach, S. (2000). The effects of training women volunteers in the trade union on empowerment and activities in the community. Unpublished master’s thesis, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel (Hebrew).
Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and adolescent self image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Rosenfield, S., & Neese, T. S. (1993). Elements of psychological clubhouse program associated with satisfying quality of life. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 44, 76–78.
Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (1992). Community organizing and development (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Schillinger, E. (1988). Dependency, control and isolation: Battered women and the welfare system. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 16, 469–490.
Srinivasan, M., & Davis, L. V. (1991). A shelter: An organization like any other? Affilia, 6, 38–57.
Stringfellow, J. W., & Mucari, K. D. (2003). A program of support for consumer participation in systems changes: The West Virginia Leadership Academy. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 14, 142–147.
Strube, M. T. (1988). The decision to leave an abusive relationship: Empirical evidence and theoretical issue. Psychological Bulletin, 104, 236–250.
Torrey, W. C., Mueser, K. T., McHugo, G. H., & Drake, R. E. (2000). Self esteem as an outcome measure in studies of vocational rehabilitation for adults with severe mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 51, 229–233.
Tutty, M. L. (1993). After the shelter. Canadian Social Work Review, 10, 183–201.
Tutty, M. L. (1996). Post shelter services: The efficacy of follow up programs for abused women. Research on Social Work Practice, 6, 425–441.
Tutty, M. L., Weaver, G., & Rothery, M. A. (1999). Resident’s view of the efficacy of shelter services for assault women. Violence Against Women, 5, 898–925.
United Nations Statistical Office (2000). Women who have been physically attacked by an intimate partner. In The World Health Organization Task Force on Violence and Health (Ed.) Rape and sexual assault and violence in the family. Geneva: WHO.
Wilson, P. A., Moore, S., Rubin, D. S., & Bartels, P. K. (1990). Informal caregivers of the chronically and their social support. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 15, 55–168.
Wood, G. G., & Middelman, R. R. (1992). Groups to empower battered women. Affilia, 7(4), 82–95.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ben-Porat, A., Itzhaky, H. Factors that Influence Life Satisfaction Among Battered Women in Shelters: Those Who Stay Versus Those Who Leave. J Fam Viol 23, 597–604 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-008-9182-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-008-9182-7