Self-complexity as a potential cognitive buffer among abused women

Low self-esteem and depression are common among domestic violence victims (e.g., Orava, McLeod, & Sharpe, 1996). Physical and verbal abuse may reinforce victims' sense of helplessness by stripping away their real social roles. Linville (1985, 1987) hypothesized that individuals who maintain high self-complexity (i.e., many roles within their self-concept and little overlap among them) are buffered against affective reactions to stressful events. Using Linville's measure, we investigated self-complexity among abused and nonabused women in a cross-sectional design. Given the restrictive nature of domestic violence, we predicted a negative relationship between abuse (physical and verbal) and self-complexity. We also hypothesized that abused women with high self-complexity would show greater self-esteem and lower levels of depression. Our findings show a negative relationship between amount of physical violence and self-complexity, and are consistent with a buffering effect of high self-complexity for low self-esteem. Clinical implications for domestic violence are discussed.