Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Locus-of-Hope and Help-Seeking Intentions of Filipino Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Correlates of help-seeking intentions of a sample of Filipino women victims of intimate partner violence were explored in this study, with a focus on the influence of locus-of-hope dimensions. Results indicated that self-esteem, most demographic and relationship factors were not systematically related to help-seeking intentions, but more educated battered women were less likely to seek help. As regards locus-of-hope dimensions, external-peer locus-of-hope positively predicted help-seeking intentions, whereas external-spiritual locus-of-hope negatively predicted help-seeking intentions. Results are discussed in terms of the psychological processes that guide decisions to seek help among battered women in the Philippines.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abad, R. G. (2012). Religion in the Philippines. Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints, 49(3), 337–367.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashby, J. S., Dickinson, W. L., Gnilka, P. B., & Noble, C. L. (2011). Hope as a mediator and moderator of multidimensional perfectionism and depression in middle school students. Journal of Counseling and Development, 89, 131–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo, A. B. I. (2010). Extending hope theory: internal and external locus of trait hope. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 944–949.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo, A. B. I. (2013). Hope grounded in belief: direct and indirect influence of social axioms on dispositional hope. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 54, 522–528.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo, A. B. I. (2015). Hope in early adolescence: measuring internal and external locus-of-hope. Child Indicators Research, 8, 699–715.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo, A. B. I., & Estrellado, A. S. (2014). Measuring hope in the Philippines: validating the short version of the locus-of-hope scale in Filipino. Social Indicators Research, 119, 1649–1661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo, A. B. I., Salanga, M. G. C., Khan, A., & Yeung, S. S. (2015). Internal and external loci-of-hope predict use of individual and collaborative learning strategies: evidence from university learners in four Asian cities. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher. doi: 10.1007/s40299-015-0249-y

  • Bonomi, A. E., Holt, V. L., Martin, D. P., & Thompson, R. S. (2006). Severity of intimate partner violence and occurrence and frequency of police calls. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21, 1354–1364.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, R., Schwartz, A. C., & Kaslow, N. J. (2005). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among black women with a history of intimate partner violence and suicidal behaviors: self-esteem, social support and religious coping. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18, 658–696.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cascardi, M., & O’Leary, D. K. (2005). Depressive symptomatology, self-esteem, and self-blame in battered women. Journal of Family Violence, 7, 249–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, E. C., & DeSimone, S. L. (2001). The influence of hope on appraisals, coping and dysphoria: a test of hope theory. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 20, 117–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coker, A. L., Smith, P. H., Thompson, M. P., McKeown, R. E., Bethea, L., & Davis, K. E. (2002). Social support protects against the negative effects of partner violence on mental health. Journal of Women’s Health and Gender-Based Medicine, 11, 456–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crisostomo, C. A., Cruz, A. C., Cruz, C. V., & Cruz, M. G. (2012). Un-buttering the battering: The lived experiences of separated Filipina battered wives. Women’s Policy Journal of Harvard, 57–72.

  • Davidson, C. L., Wingate, L. R., & Slish, M. L. (2009). Hope as a predictor of interpersonal suicide risk. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 39, 499–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Decker, M. R., Nair, S., Saggurti, N., Sabri, B., Jethva, M., Raj, A., Donta, B., & Silverman, J. G. (2013). Violence-related coping, seeking help and health care-based intervention preferences among perinatal women in Mumbai, India. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28, 1924–1947.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Du, H., & King, R. B. (2013). Placing hope in self and others: exploring the relationship among self-construals, locus-of-hope, and adjustment. Personality and Individual Differences, 54, 332–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du, H., Bernardo, A. B. I., & Yeung, S. S. (2015). Locus-of-hope and life satisfaction: the mediating roles of personal self-esteem and relational self-esteem. Personality and Individual Differences, 83, 228–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrensaft, M. K. (2008). Intimate partner violence: persistence of myths and implications for intervention. Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 276–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El-Khoury, M. Y., Dutton, M. A., Goodman, L. A., Engel, L., Belamaric, R. J., & Murphy, M. (2004). Ethnic differences in battered women’s formal help-seeking strategies: a focus on health, mental health and spirituality. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 10, 383–393.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, D., Bell, M. E., & Goodman, L. A. (2003). Transforming aggressive prosecution policies: prioritizing victims’ long-term safety in the prosecution of domestic violence cases. Journal of Gender, Social Policies, and the Law, 11, 465–498.

    Google Scholar 

  • Estrellado, A. F., & Loh, J. (2014). Factors associated with battered Filipino women’s decision to stay in or leave an abusive relationship. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29(4), 575–592.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Estrellado, A. F., & Salazar-Clemeña, R. (2007). Dynamics of abuse: case studies of five Filipino battered women. Philippine Journal of Psychology, 40, 5–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Estrellado, A. F., & Salazar-Clemeña, R. (2010). Dynamics of battered Filipino women: validating a dynamics of abuse model. Silliman Journal, 51, 44–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fanslow, J. L., & Robinson, E. M. (2010). Help-seeking behaviors and reason for help-seeking reported by a representative sample of women victims of intimate partner violence in New Zealand. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 25, 929–951.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fry, P. S., & Barker, L. A. (2002). Quality of relationships and structural properties of social support networks of female survivors of abuse. Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs, 128, 139–163.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gable, S. L., & Haidt, J. (2005). What (and why) is positive psychology? Review of General Psychology, 9, 103–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geiger, K. A., & Kwon, P. (2010). Rumination and depressive symptoms: evidence for the moderating role of hope. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 391–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodkind, J. R., Gillum, T. L., Bybee, D. I., & Sullivan, C. M. (2003). The impact of family and friends’ reactions on the well-being of women with abusive partners. Violence Against Women, 9, 347–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagen, K. A., Myers, B. J., & Mackintosh, V. H. (2005). Hope, social support, and behavioral problems in at‐risk children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75(2), 211–219.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henning, K. R., & Klesges, L. M. (2002). Utilization of counseling and supportive services by female victims of domestic abuse. Violence and Victims, 17, 623–636.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hou, W. L., Ko, N. Y., & Shu, B. C. (2013). Recovery experiences of Taiwanese women after terminating abusive relationships: a phenomenology study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28(1), 157–175.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchison, I. W., & Hirschel, J. D. (1998). Abused women: help-seeking strategies and police utilization. Violence Against Women, 4, 436–456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jonker, I. E., Sijbrandij, M., & Wolf, J. R. (2012). Toward needs profiles of shelter-based abused women latent class approach. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 36(1), 38–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jovanović, V. (2013). Evaluation of the Children’s hope scale in Serbian adolescents: dimensionality, measurement invariance across gender, convergent and incremental validity. Child Indicators Research, 6(4), 797–811.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaukinen, C. (2002). The help-seeking decisions of violent crime victims: an examination of the direct and conditional effects of gender and the victim-offender relationship. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17, 432–456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaukinen, C. (2004). The help-seeking strategies of female violent-crime victims: the direct and conditional effects of race and the victim-offender relationship. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 19, 967–990.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaukinen, C. E., Meyer, S., & Akers, C. (2013). Status compatibility and help-seeking behaviors among female intimate partner violence victims. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28, 577–601.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J. V., & Lee, J. H. (2011). Factors influencing help-seeking behavior among battered Korean women in intimate relationships. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 2991–3012.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lacey, K. K. (2010). When is it enough for me to leave? black and Hispanic women’s response to violent relationships. Journal of Family Violence, 25, 669–677.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leone, J. M., Johnson, M. P., & Cohan, C. L. (2007). Victim help seeking: differences between intimate terrorism and situational couple violence. Family Relations, 56(5), 427–439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leone, J. M., Lape, M. E., & Xu, Y. (2014). Women’s decision to not seek formal help for partner violence: a comparison of intimate terrorism and situational couple violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 29, 1850–1876.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liang, B., Goodman, L., Tummala-Narra, P., & Weintraub, S. (2005). A theoretical framework for understanding help-seeking processes among survivors of intimate partner violence. American Journal of Community Psychology, 36(1-2), 71–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lindgren, M., & Renck, B. (2008). Intimate partner violence and the leaving process: interviews with abused women. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 3, 113–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macy, R. J., Nurius, P. S., Kernic, M. A., & Holt, V. L. (2005). Battered women’s profiles associated with service help-seeking efforts: illuminating opportunities for intervention. Social Work Research, 29, 137–150.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Macy, R. J., Johns, N., Rizo, C. F., Martin, S. L., & Giattina, M. (2011). Domestic violence and sexual assault service goal priorities. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26(16), 3361–3382.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Markus, H. R., & Kitayama, S. (2003). Models of agency: Sociocultural diversity in the construction of action. In V. Murphy-Berman & J. J. Berman (Eds.), Cross-cultural differences in perspectives on the self (pp. 1–57). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marques, S. C., Lopez, S. J., & Pais-Ribeiro, J. L. (2011). “Building hope for the future”: a program to foster strengths in middle-school students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 12(1), 139–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marques, S. C., Lopez, S. J., & Mitchell, J. (2013). The role of hope, spirituality and religious practice in adolescents’ life satisfaction: longitudinal findings. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(1), 251–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, J. G. (2003). Culture and agency: Implications for psychological theories of motivation and social development. In V. Murphy-Berman & J. J. Berman (Eds.), Cross-cultural differences in perspectives on the self (pp. 59–99). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moe, A. M. (2007). Silenced voices and structural survival: battered women’s help-seeking. Violence Against Women, 13, 676–699.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, K. E., Luchok, K. J., Richter, D. L., & Parra-Medina, D. (2006). Factors influencing help-seeking from informal networks among African American victims of intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 21, 1493–1511.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nurius, P. S., Macy, R. J., Nwabuzor, I., & Holt, V. L. (2011). Intimate partner survivors’ help-seeking and protection efforts: a person-oriented analysis. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 539–566.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ocampo, A. C., Mansukhani, R., Mangrobang, B., & Juan, A. (2013). Influences and perceived impact of spirituality on Filipino adolescents. Philippine Journal of Psychology, 46, 89–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pajak, C. R., Ahmad, F., Jenney, A., Fisher, P., & Chan, L. M. (2014). Survivor’s costs of saying no: exploring the experience of accessing services for intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi:10.1177/0886260513520506.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23(5), 603–619.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, R., Moracco, K. E., Goldstein, K. M., & Andersen, C. K. (2005). Moving beyond disclosure: Women’s perspectives on barriers and motivations to seeking assistance for intimate partner violence. Women & Health, 40(3), 63–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philippine Commission on Women. (2013). Statistics on violence against Filipino women. Retrieved September 23, 2013. http://www.pcw.gov.ph/statistics/201304/statistics-violence-against-filipino-women

  • Ragusa, A. (2012). Rural Australian women’s legal help-seeking for intimate partner violence: women intimate partner violence victim survivors’ perception of criminal justice support services. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28, 685–717.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sabina, C., Cuevas, C. A., & Shally, J. L. (2012). Help-seeking in a national sample of victimized Latino women: the influence of victimization types. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27, 40–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sartin, R. M., Hansen, D. J., & Huss, M. T. (2006). Domestic violence treatment response and recidivism: a review and implications for the study of family violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 11, 425–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scarpa, A., & Haden, S. C. (2006). Community violence victimization and aggressive behavior: the moderating effects of coping and social support. Aggressive Behavior, 35, 502–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: an introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 5–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shen, A. C. T. (2011). Cultural barriers to help-seeking among Taiwanese female victims of dating violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 1343–1365.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shorey, H. S., Roberts, C. R. D., & Huprich, S. K. (2012). The roles of domain specific hope and depressive personality in predicting depressive symptoms. Personality and Mental Health, 6, 255–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shoultz, J., Magnussen, L., Manzano, H., Arias, C., & Spencer, C. (2010). Listening to Filipina women: perceptions, responses and needs regarding intimate partner violence. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31, 54–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C. R. (1994). The psychology of hope. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C. R. (2002). Hope theory: rainbows in the mind. Psychological Inquiry, 13, 249–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suvak, M. K., Taft, C. T., Goodman, L. A., & Dutton, M. A. (2013). Dimensions of functional social support and depressive symptoms: a longitudinal investigation of women seeking help for intimate partner violence. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 81, 455–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valle, M. F., Huebner, E. S., & Suldo, S. M. (2004). Further evaluation of the Children’s hope scale. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 22(4), 320–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valle, M. F., Huebner, E. S., & Suldo, S. M. (2006). An analysis of hope as a psychological strength. Journal of School Psychology, 44(5), 393–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vatnar, S. K., & Bjørkly, S. (2009). Interactional aspects of intimate partner violence result in different help-seeking behaviors in a representative sample of women. Journal of Family Violence, 24, 231–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visser, P. L., Loess, P., Jeglic, E. L., & Hirsch, J. K. (2013). Hope as a moderator of negative life events and depressive symptoms in a diverse sample. Stress and Health, 29, 82–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, S. S., & Lim, T. (2009). Hope versus optimism in Singaporean adolescents: contributions to depression and life satisfaction. Personality and Individual Differences, 46(5), 648–652.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • You, S., Furlong, M. J., Felix, E., Sharkey, J. D., Tanigawa, D., & Green, J. G. (2008). Relations among school connectedness, hope, life satisfaction, and bully victimization. Psychology in the Schools, 45(5), 446–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant from the Research Development and Administration Office of the University of Macau (Project Reference No.: SRG014-FSH13-ABIB). We wish to acknowledge the support extended by Director Ma. Alicia S. Bonoan, Mark M. Garcia and Ms. Judith R. Escarilla of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Dr. Imelda Villar and Mary Jardiniano of the Women’s Crisis Center, Gerardo Vitug, Deng Nebrida, and Lita Santos.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, E21-3060 Humanities and Social Sciences Building, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau, SAR, China

    Allan B. I. Bernardo

  2. De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

    Alicia F. Estrellado

Authors
  1. Allan B. I. Bernardo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alicia F. Estrellado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Allan B. I. Bernardo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bernardo, A.B.I., Estrellado, A.F. Locus-of-Hope and Help-Seeking Intentions of Filipino Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence. Curr Psychol 36, 66–75 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-015-9385-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-015-9385-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation