The Post-Traumatic Growth Journey of Women Who Have Survived Intimate Partner Violence: A Synthesized Theory Emphasizing Obstacles and Facilitating Factors

Hulda S. Bryngeirsdottir, Denise Saint Arnault and Sigridur Halldorsdottir
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Hulda S. Bryngeirsdottir: School of Health Sciences, University of Akureyri, Solborg v/Nordurslod, 600 Akureyri, Iceland
Denise Saint Arnault: School of Health Sciences, University of Akureyri, Solborg v/Nordurslod, 600 Akureyri, Iceland
Sigridur Halldorsdottir: School of Health Sciences, University of Akureyri, Solborg v/Nordurslod, 600 Akureyri, Iceland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-20

Abstract: Suffering intimate partner violence (IPV) is a devastating personal experience and post-traumatic growth (PTG) is a positive, psychological change in a person, following trauma such as IPV. There is a gap in the literature when it comes to theories on PTG after surviving IPV. The aim of this theory development was to synthesize an approach to understanding the PTG journey of female IPV survivors. According to our theory, their PTG journey includes eight main components: 1. The women’s early experience of trauma, 2. The consequences of that trauma, 3. Their experiences of IPV, 4. The consequences of IPV, 5. The facilitating factors to PTG, 6. The hindering factors to PTG, 7. Their experience of PTG, and 8. The lingering effects of IPV. According to our findings, PTG is a real possibility for female IPV survivors, and it is likely to improve their mental health, well-being, and quality of life, as well as that of their children, loved ones, and communities, thereby decreasing the damaging effects of IPV. The theory can be useful for professionals when guiding female survivors of IPV to promote their recovery and healing. Due to the lack of research in this field, additional research is needed to further develop this theory.

Keywords: post-traumatic growth (PTG); intimate partner violence (IPV); gender-based violence (GBV); mental health; trauma recovery; rehabilitation; women’s health; public health; theory development; theory synthesis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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