Nurturing Hope and Well-Being Among Survivors of Domestic Violence Within the Family Justice Center Model

Violence Vict. 2021 Oct 1;36(5):651-666. doi: 10.1891/VV-D-19-00123.

Abstract

Family Justice Centers (FJCs) represent a multi-disciplinary coordinated approach co-located to serve survivors of domestic violence. This study examined the change in hope and well-being among 130 survivors receiving domestic violence services through seven FJCs. Using a pretest, posttest design, Analyses of Variance results indicated that survivors exhibited robust increases in hope, emotional well-being, and flourishing. Correlational analyses showed that survivor defined goal success has important relationships with hope and well-being. Finally, hierarchical regression analyses revealed hope contributed unique variance of survivor flourishing over-and-above survivor defined success and emotional well-being. These findings are discussed in the context that hope may be an important coping resource for survivors of domestic violence and offers a common conceptual framework for FJCs.

Keywords: domestic violence; interpersonal violence; intervention/treatment; mental health.

MeSH terms

  • Domestic Violence* / psychology
  • Emotions
  • Humans
  • Social Justice*
  • Survivors / psychology