Learned helplessness and depression in women who are victims of domestic violence in Ixchen’s women's centers in the department of Managua

Abstract

This study was based on describing the levels of learned helplessness and depression in women who are victims of domestic violence and testing whether there is a relationship between the variables, helplessness and depression, and whether both relate to severity and types of violence. The research was carried out in the "IXCHEN" Women's Centers located in the municipalities of Managua (Barrio Campo Bruce and Villa Libertad), Tipitapa, and Ciudad Sandino, in the period between the second semester of 2013 and the first and second semester of 2014. The sample consisted of 50 women between the ages of 18 and 55 who have experienced domestic violence episodes by their partners or former partners. The instruments used were Beck's Depression Inventory, Beck's Learned Hopelessness Scale, and an ad hoc Domestic Violence Questionnaire. The results showed that the women under study predominantly presented mild levels of learned helplessness followed by moderate levels of this, and moderate depression. Besides, there is a statistically significant relationship between the two variables. The women being studied had experienced severe violence by their partners or former partners and had been victims of psychological, physical, and economic or heritage violence. On the other hand, the severity of violence is related to the levels of learned helplessness and depression. However, there is no relationship between the types of violence and the two main variables of the study