Paper
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Rebuilding Security: A Health Promotion Priority of Single Mothers and Their Children in the Aftermath of Abuse
Marilyn Ford-Gilboe, RN, PhD1, Judith A. Wuest, RN, PhD2, and Marilyn Merritt-Gray, RN, MN2. (1) School of Nursing, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, (2) Faculty of Nursing, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada
| Learning Objective #1: Describe how the efforts of single-parent families to regain a sense of security after leaving are shaped by ongoing interference in their lives |
| Learning Objective #2: Identify two ways in which nurses can support and strengthen family efforts to rebuild security after leaving
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Problem: Single mothers report higher levels of past abuse than their married counterparts, yet the ways in which a history of woman abuse affects family health promotion efforts after leaving has not been studied. Objective: to develop a theoretical explanation of the health promotion processes of single-parent families (SPFs) after leaving an abusive partner/father. Design: Feminist, Grounded Theory Method: Data from repeat, semi-structured interviews conducted with a community sample of 40 SPFs in two Canadian provinces were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative method (Glaser, 1978). Findings: The core problem experienced by SPFs after leaving is “intrusion” - unwanted interference in everyday life that stems from abuse and its fallout. After leaving, families promote their health both by focusing on immediate, functional needs (surviving) and by making strategic attempts to shape their lives longer-term (Positioning for the Future) in 4 priority areas through the process of “Strengthening Capacity to Limit Intrusion”. Rebuilding security, one such priority, involves redesigning a “normal” family life in which the fear and isolation of past abuse are replaced by a sense of relative safety and belonging. When intrusion is high, families focus on surviving immediate risks to safety by imposing their own isolation, sometimes reaching out to others before it is safe to do so (Retreating). When intrusion is lower and there is some stability, the focus shifts from managing safety risks toward taking calculated risks to meet longer-term needs for belonging by building supportive relationships (Cautious Connecting). Retreating and Cautious Connecting are linked processes that are enacted using different strategies, each of which is critical in Rebuilding Security. Conclusions/Implications: Efforts to rebuild security are highly dependent on external pressures and not solely driven by family desires. Practice and policy implications will be discussed
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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 22-24, 2004