PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AND GENDER AS MODERATORS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH

Abstract

The current study was designed to investigate the moderating effects of participant gender and perceived social support on the relationship between intimate partner violence victimization and posttraumatic growth. Participants included 86 (27 men and 59 women) undergraduate students who completed a questionnaire that included items pertaining to demographics, partner violence, social support, and posttraumatic growth. Data were analyzed using Welch’s t tests and correlational analyses. Roughly 57% of participants indicated that they had experienced partner abuse on at least one occasion. In the current sample, there was no statistically significant relationship between partner abuse victimization and posttraumatic growth; in light of this, the moderation effects of gender and social support were not explored.