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The Pros and Cons of the Learned Helplessness Construct and the Battered Woman Syndrome: a Critical Analysis and Possible Reformulation

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The Pros and Cons of the Learned Helplessness Construct and the Battered Woman Syndrome: a Critical Analysis and Possible Reformulation University of Rhode Island DigitalCommons@URI Open Access Dissertations 2004 The Pros and Cons of the Learned Helplessness Construct and the Battered Woman Syndrome: A Critical Analysis and Possible Reformulation Lucille Andreozzi Stern University of Rhode Island Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss Recommended Citation Andreozzi Stern, Lucille, "The Pros and Cons of the Learned Helplessness Construct and the Battered Woman Syndrome: A Critical Analysis and Possible Reformulation" (2004). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 776. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/776 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@URI. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@URI. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE PROS AND CONS OF THE LEARNED HELPLESSNESS CONSTRUCT AND THE BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND POSSIBLE REFORMULATION BY LUCILLE ANDREOZZI STERN A DISSERTATION IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR. THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PSYCHOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 2004 Doctor of Phil osophy Dissertation Of Lucil le L . Andreozzi Stern Approved Dissertation Committee : Major Pro fessor ~ .We~ ~~tJ__· _·- ----· ~4L~. ;:. .~ J~~~ Z?LJtr Dean of Graduate School University of Rhode Island 2004 Abstract Two prevailing, contrasting theories, learned helplessness and health psychogenesis, have been proposed to describe and explain the battered woman's experience and response to domestic violence. This research examined the status (scientific adequacy) of each theory's database to determine where the preponderance of evidence lies. The investigator articulated nine factors that differentiate the two theories. Trained independent raters then rated study outcomes as falling into one of three categories: pro-learned helplessness, pro-health psychogenesis, or supportive of both theories. Studies of two research samples (shelter and community) were identified and assessed (rated) along four methodological dimensions (sample, instrumentation, statistical analysis, and hypothesis testing) . Each was assigned a total design quality score, and -the studies were then divided into three groups according to the overall level of design quality (high, medium, low). A table was then created that exhibited the overall picture of design quality by outcome (the theory supported by the study). The research relevant to each theory appeared to be roughly equal in overall design quality. The majority o f the research evidence appeared to support the pro-health psychogenesis theory. However, the difference between the percent~ge of evidence that supported psychogenesis versus learned helplessness was modest (16 studies, or 55%; 10 studies, or 34%). It may be argued that a theory that appears to be validated (correct) approximately 50% of the time (health psychogenesis) or approximately one­ third of the time (learned helplessness) does not reflect a strong or well-articulated theory. One would expect that a theory's predictions would, at least, be greater than chance. These results suggest that rather than trying to determine which of the two theories is better, a more fruitful approach might be to develop an integrated theory that draws on the strongest elements of each. The dissertation concludes with a number of suggestions regarding how research and clinical practice might begin this process~ Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their significant contribution to my personal and professional development: Dr. David Faust, major professor, for his insight, patience, and intellectual challenge; Dr. Charles Collyer and Dr . Dominic Valentino for their insight and intellectual perspectives; Dr. Grace Frenzel for her warm, thoughtful feedback and careful guidance; Dr. Diane Horm for her generous support. I would also like to acknowledge Dr. James Campbell for helping me to grow as a grounded, innovative therapist. I would like to thank the staff of the University of Rhode Island Counseling Center for their collective support over the past two years. I am especially grateful to Dr. Brian Howard, who generously helped with the last minute details of this manuscript. I would like to express my deep gratitude to my family and closest friends for their help, encouragement, and understanding throughout my life and the doctoral process- my father, John H. Andreozzi; and mother, Madeline Andreozzi; my uncle, Dante Pompa; my grandmother, Gilda Pompa; and the friends who create for me a spiritual circle that uplif ts me with their love , iv support and belief in me, including Eileen Roche, Mary Gregory, Peggy Leason, Elizabeth Gricus, Carol Schilling, and Laurie and Tomas Carlson. I especially owe heartfelt gratitude to my son, Lyle Benjamin Stern, who participated with me in this long and mysterious process, always seeing the fun and wonder in it. v Dedication To my son, Lyle Benjamin Stern. Lyle, your inspiration keeps me going. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ii Ac know1 edgemen ts____________________ _____________ _______________________________ _________ _____ __ ____ ________ __ ______ _iv Dedication vi Table of Contents vii List of Tables xi List of Figures ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------xii Chapter I Wife Abuse, Child Witness, and Family Violence: Background, Definitions, Description of the Problem and Purpose of the research 1 Scope and Nature of the problem________________ ___ _____ ____ ___ ___ ___ ______ __ ___ _____ 3 Wife Abuse 3 Family Violence and its Effects on Children____ ___ ______ ___ _______ 7 The Effects of Witnessing Family Violence 9 Wife Assault and the Battered Woman's Response to Violence A Psychological or Sociological Problem? 12 Learned Helplessness 14 He al th P s ychogene sis_ ____ _____ ____ ___________ ____ ______ _____ ____________ ___________ __ _1 7 Chapter II Major Explanatory Theories of Family Violence: Frames of Reference for Understanding the Abuse Dynamic 20 The Individual Psychological View of Wife Battering: Personality, Psychology, and Psychopathology____ ___ ____________ _____ ______________ _______________ __ __ ____ ____ ____ __________ ___ ______ __ _24 Battered Women 25 Men Who Batter 29 Children of Family Violence __________ ________ _____ ________ ____ ___ _____ _____ 33 vii Social Psychological View of Wife Battering _________________ ___ 36 Learned Helplessness and Depression___ _________________________ 37 Learned Helplessness and the Battered Woman Syndrome 41 The Abuse Dynamic, Traumatic Bonding, and the Cycle of Violence Theory____ ______________________ ___ _________________________ __ 42 The Sociological and Sociocultural Perspectives on Wife Battering 47 A Family Therapy/Social Systems View_ _____ ____ _______ ____ ____ _Sl Chapter I I I Method·------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- 5 8 Samples·-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 8 Procedures: Categorizing and Evaluating the Research Data 60 A Pro-Learned Helplessness Position 61 A Pro-Health Psychogenesis Position 61 A Modified Pro-Learned Helplessness/Pro- Heal th Psychogenesis Position 61 Measures 62 A Stepwise Plan for Outcome Appraisal___ _______ ____ _______ ____________ ___ 65 Chapter IV Results: National Random Surveys of Domestic Violence 69 Battered Women: National Probability Surveys __ ______ _________ _69 Statistical Overview 72 Interpreting the Reported Controversial Data On Husband to Wife and Wife to Husband Violence 74 Scope, Definition, and Measurement of Family Violence: Impact on Battered Women _____ __ _____ ______ ___ ___________ ___ ________ 80 viii Definitions, Levels, and Types of Family Violence 80 The Relationship Between Physical and Emotional Abuse 84 The Relationship Between Verbal and Physical Aggression·------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------· 8 7 Chapter V Results: Analysis of Non-random Shelter S amp 1 es_ -------------------------- ---------------------------------------- -- ------------------------------------------------------91 Battered Women: Non-random Shelter Samples _____ __ ______ ______ ___ .92 Sample Size, Sample Composition, Sampling Procedures and Power 121 Instrumentation 126 Design Quality and statistical Analysis 129 Corroboration 132 Chapter VI Results: Analysis of Non-random Community Samples 1 42 Battered Women: Non-random Community Studies 143 Sample Size, Sample Composition, Sampl ing Procedure, and Power. _______ _______ ____ ___ _______ ________ ____ ____ ___ _______________ 14 4 Instrumentation 163 Design Quality and Statist ical Analysis 168 Corroboration 172 Chapter VII Results: Domestic Violence: Childhood Witnesses and Victims, Mo t her and Children as a Developing Family Unit, and Male Batterers 1 81 Children: The Effects of Witnessing and Experiencing Fami 1 y Vio 1 ence -------------------------------------------------------18 3 Moderati ng Variables, Gender Effects, and the Intergenerational Transmission Hypot hesis 1 84 i x Protective Factors and Resilience 189 The Study of Battered Women and Children as a Fami 1 y Unit --------------------------------------------------------------------------------19 0 Men Who Batter: A Brief Research Overview to Provide Perspective: Normality or Pathology._________________
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