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Stress Management and Intimate Partner Violence: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of Family Violence volume 30, pages 795–802 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Intimate partner violence is a major health problem for women; some of the most common symptoms of violence are depression, psychological distress, and sleep disturbances. In this parallel randomized controlled trial, which took place in Athens-Greece, abused women were randomly assigned to undergo either an 8-week stress management program (n = 16; relaxation breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, twice a day counseling) or standard shelter services (n = 18). Self-reported validated measures were used to evaluate perceived stress, health locus of control, depression, and ways of coping. In participants in the intervention group, perceived stress was significantly decreased after 8 weeks of relaxation, showing a medium effect of 0.45, but no significant results were noted for sleeping hours, health locus of control, depression, and ways of coping. These results reveal the need to develop interventions for this vulnerable population and future studies should incorporate more objective laboratory outcomes.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. School of Medicine, University of Athens, Soranou Ephessiou Str., 4, GR-115-27, Athens, Greece

      Eleni Michalopoulou, George P. Chrousos & Christina Darviri

    2. Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Agiou Spiridonos 28, Egaleo, 122 43, Greece

      Georgia Tzamalouka

    Authors
    1. Eleni Michalopoulou
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    2. Georgia Tzamalouka
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    3. George P. Chrousos
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    4. Christina Darviri
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    Correspondence to Eleni Michalopoulou.

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    George P. Chrousos and Christina Darviri contributed equally to this work.

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    Michalopoulou, E., Tzamalouka, G., Chrousos, G.P. et al. Stress Management and Intimate Partner Violence: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Fam Viol 30, 795–802 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9740-8

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    Keywords

    • Domestic abuse
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Coping
    • Intervention