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Phases of Growth for Abused New Zealand Women

A Comparison With Other Studies

Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, janicegiles{at}ihug.co.nz

Helen Curreen

Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, helen.curreen{at}aut.ac.nz

The goal of this grounded-theory qualitative study is to inform practice for working with New Zealand women who experience male partner abuse. The basic psychosocial process of growing through adversity emerged as salient for all 10 participants. This process is composed of three highly interactive core categories (finding a path beyond abuse, getting a life, and becoming myself) and five sequential phases (falling for love, taking control, securing a base, making sense of it, and being myself). This article focuses on the phases of the process and reports patterns that are consistent with other studies that have identified phases of the process.

Key Words: domestic violence • personal growth • recovery

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Affilia, Vol. 22, No. 4, 371-384 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0886109907306310


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Giles, J. Articles by Curreen, H. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?