Term of Graduation

Spring 2008

Date of Publication

6-11-2008

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Systems Science: Psychology

Department

Systems Science: Psychology

Language

English

Subjects

Working poor -- Social networks -- Economic conditions, Intimate partner violence, Work and family, Academic theses

DOI

10.15760/etd.7856

Physical Description

1 online resource (2, xi, 205 pages)

Abstract

The workplace is a setting where women in abusive relationships can potentially access information and support to resolve the violence in their lives. This study addresses a critical need for data-based knowledge about how supervisors can effectively support employees experiencing intimate partner violence. The dissertation study examines supervisor support congruency (i.e., the match between support wanted and received) and work outcomes for Latina and non-Latina, abused women. Specifically, I examine which supervisor support measures best predict work outcomes for abused, low-wage, employees. In addition, I evaluate the criterion validity and reliability of a behavioral measure of wanted and received supervisor support, the Intimate Partner Violence Work Support Assessment (IPV-WSA).

Face-to-face interviews were conducted with Spanish-speaking Latina and English-speaking non-Latina participants aged 18 or older, currently employed or employed in the past six months, and involved within the past year in intimate partner violence relationships (N = 163). The IPV-WSA was examined on dimensions of positive congruent support (PCS, support wanted and received) and support commission (COM, support not wanted but received).

Test-retest reliabilities for the dimensions of PCS and COM were .84 and .82, respectively. Positive congruent support predicted job satisfaction after controlling for hours worked, job tenure, general supervisor support, and relational demography variables. Higher levels of PCS were associated with higher job satisfaction (β = .23, p = .01) and higher COM was associated with more job reprimands χ2 (8, N = 142) = 18.84, p = .02. For an increase in 10 points of support commission, the odds of receiving a reprimand were increased 1.37 times.

Findings from the study provide important theoretical and practical implications which are discussed in light of social support theory and workplace interventions for IPV. Theoretically, the findings are consistent with research based on a taxonomy of support that accounts for support wanted and received (Reynolds & Perrin, 2004). Practically, the IPV-WSA provides more specific behavioral information on supervisor support match than that provided from a global measure of supervisor support and, therefore, is more useful in informing the development of workplace IPV interventions.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this dissertation or thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to pdxscholar@pdx.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/37885

Download

Share

COinS