Exploring the relationship between resiliency and recovery among African-American victims of intimate partner violence

The role of resiliency among battered women who are recovering from an abusive relationship is gaining momentum in both research and practice. Current research suggests that African-American women are at increased risk for experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). As such, these marginalized women are in need of scientifically-based programming that helps them to recover from psychological sequelae resulting from physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse. To date, there is a paucity of research that explores the role of resiliency, as dictated by African-American culture, in the recovery of African-American women who have survived IPV. The purpose of the present study is to explore ecological factors that impact resiliency in this population. Implementing a modified grounded theory approach, a semi-structured interview guide was developed in order to elicit information from participants. Resulting transcripts were analyzed using text-based software to assist with coding and organization of data. Data are reported from twenty service providers who work with African-American survivors of IPV. Analysis of data shows emergent themes, including insights concerning the impact of the ideology of the ‘Strong Black Woman' among African-American women. Results are being used in the development of a culturally-specific program that is being designed to assist with the psychological recovery of these women.