Faculty Books and Book Chapters
Battered Woman Syndrome: Empirical findings
Book Title
Violence and Exploitation Against Women and Girls
Document Type
Book Chapter
ISBN
doi (chapter): 10.1196/annals.1385.023 / ISBN (book): 978-1573316675
Publication Date
1-5-2007
Keywords
Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS), posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD, hyperarousal
Description
The construct of Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS) has been conceptualized as a subcategory of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is composed of the following symptoms: (a) re-experiencing the battering as if it were reoccurring even when it is not, (b) attempts to avoid the psychological impact of battering by avoiding activities, people, and emotions, (c) hyperarousal or hypervigilance, (d) disrupted interpersonal relationships, (e) body image distortion or other somatic concerns, and (f) sexuality and intimacy issues. This article presents empirical data derived from administering the Battered Woman Syndrome Questionnaire (BWSQ) to women of four countries—United States, Spain, Greece, and Russia. The data support a theory of BWS.
Publisher
New York Academy of Sciences Annals
City
New York
First Page
142
Last Page
157
Disciplines
Psychology
NSUWorks Citation
Walker, L. E.
(2007). Battered Woman Syndrome: Empirical findings. Violence and Exploitation Against Women and Girls, 142-157.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facbooks/144
Additional Information
Denmark, F. et al. (Eds.).