Date of Award

1979

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

First Advisor

Bonnie Walbran

Second Advisor

Diana Richards

Abstract

This research examines the psychological and sociological variables that predict whether an abused wife will leave or remain with an abusive partner. The author evaluates four primary theoretical frameworks: masochism theory, learned helplessness theory, modeling theory, and intrafamily victimization theory. To test hypotheses generated by these theories, in-depth interviews were conducted with fifty randomly selected clients from a center for abused women in St. Louis.

The study identifies three major factors that significantly predict an abused wife’s decision to leave: 

  • Severity of Injury: Wives who left were more severely injured by their partners than those who stayed. 

  • Fear of Lethality: A high fear of being murdered by the partner was a powerful predictor of the decision to leave. 

  • Childhood Observations: Women who left were less likely to have observed violence between their own parents during childhood. 

Furthermore, the data strongly supports modeling theory; among wives who did observe parental violence, their response tended to mirror the behavior modeled by their mothers. Results also suggest that women who left were physically punished less frequently as children compared to those who stayed.

The findings largely discredit traditional masochism theory, noting that women flee when the situation becomes life-threatening, which is incompatible with a desire for suffering. While learned helplessness provides some insight into the difficulty of perceiving options, it fails to explain why severe abuse often triggers an escape response. The author concludes that a "systems analysis" approach is necessary, as no single theory explains the entirety of the behavior. Practical assistance, such as hidden shelters and financial aid, remains a critical necessity for those navigating these multiple determinants.

Research Highlights

  • The Problem: The researcher investigates specific variables that predict whether an abused wife will leave or remain with an abusive partner, examining the limitations of traditional psychological theories in explaining these decisions. 

  • The Method: Data was collected through in-depth telephone interviews with 50 randomly selected clients from the Women's Self Help Center (WSHC) in St. Louis, Missouri, using a follow-up questionnaire administered at least five months after their initial contact. 

  • Quantitative Finding: Abused wives who left were significantly more severely injured and more fearful of being murdered than those who stayed; 68% of subjects admitted to retaliating with physical force at least once; 78% of subjects identified financial problems as a factor in their decision. 

  • Qualitative Finding: Leaving was positively predicted by the absence of observed violence between parents during childhood and by the mother modeling an "escape response" if violence was observed; results supported Modeling Theory and Intrafamily Victimization Theory over traditional Masochism Theory.

  • Finding: The researcher advocates for a "systems analysis" approach, viewing the decision to leave as the result of multiple determinants including lack of emergency shelter, economic dependency, and sexist cultural norms rather than individual characterological flaws.

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