A qualitative study investigating self-concept in female survivors of domestic violence with substance abuse problems

Numerous women with histories of domestic violence frequently report histories of substance abuse problems, and many women with addictions report domestic violence victimization. Despite the high correlation of the concurrence these two phenomena, substance-abusing survivors of domestic violence are largely ignored in both research and practice. The current study focuses on the self-concept because when it is enhanced it plays a vital role in promoting optimal psychological functioning and has been found to help survivors of domestic violence escape their perpetrators. The current study adds to the literature on this largely neglected population by addressing the following research questions: (a) How does the self-concept of female survivors of domestic violence with a history of substance abuse problems manifest when remembering being intoxicated, sober, engaged in a violent relationship, and not engaged in a violent relationship, and (b) Taking both biological and environmental influences into account, how do domestic violence survivors perceive that their self-concept has changed from childhood? The current study elucidated ten major themes and six minor themes related to the self-concept when interviewing and administering self-report measures to women with a concurrent history of domestic violence victimization and substance abuse problems. This was achieved in two ways: (a) by identifying themes where participants directly discussed the self-concept and (b) by using L'Ecuyer's theory to extrapolate meaning related to the self-concept from participant's reports of life experiences. Major themes suggested that the women in the current sample entered recovery to become better parents, reported benefits from treatment, used substances to numb emotions, engaged in external focusing, self-sacrifice, and emotional suppression, were faced with domestic violence when they attempted to resolve conflict adaptively, perceived self-concept impairment to result from domestic violence and interactions with family or origin, experienced traumatic incidents in childhood and adolescence, were exposed to substance use by their parents, and perceived a sense of identity loss. Minor themes that emerged from the data indicate that the current sample felt they were rejected by their family of origin, undertook adult roles as children, experienced a sense of empowerment when deciding to leave the domestic violence relationship, were encouraged to use substance by their intimate partners, experienced a partnership characterized by jealousy and mistrust, and experienced the legal systems as unhelpful or untrustworthy.