Stress management strategies and psychological well-being among survivors of domestic violence: an empirical analysis.

Abstract

Background: Domestic violence is associated with substantial psychological consequences, yet evidence regarding coping strategies and psychological well-being among women exposed to domestic violence in Azerbaijan remains limited. This study aimed to examine the relationships between coping strategies, domestic violence, and psychological well-being among women in Azerbaijan.

Methods: This cross-sectional correlational study included 117 women who had experienced domestic violence. Data were collected using the Brief COPE, WHO-5 Well-Being Index, and an Intimate Partner Violence Assessment Questionnaire based on the WHO model. Because the data were not normally distributed, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used.

Results: Psychological and physical violence were positively associated with behavioral disengagement and instrumental support, whereas psychological, physical, and sexual violence were negatively associated with positive reframing. Domestic violence was negatively associated with psychological well-being (r = -.323, p less than .001), while coping strategies were positively asso-ciated with well-being (r = .192, p = .038). Significant differences in domestic violence were also observed according to marital status, educational level, and employment status.

Conclusions: Higher levels of domestic violence were associated with lower psychological well-being and greater use of avoidant coping strategies. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening adaptive coping skills and developing culturally appropri-ate psychosocial interventions for women exposed to domestic violence in Azerbaijan.