A Comparative Study of Perceived Parenting Styles, Anxiety Sensitivity, and Ego Strength in Female Victims of Domestic Violence Seeking Divorce, With and Without Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Keywords:
generalized anxiety disorder, domestic violence, parenting styles, anxiety sensitivity, ego strength, divorceAbstract
Purpose: This causal-comparative study compared perceived parenting styles (parental warmth and autonomy support), anxiety sensitivity, and ego strength among female victims of domestic violence seeking divorce, differentiating between those with and without generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Methods and Materials: The sample included 80 women (40 with GAD, 40 without GAD) from Qom Province, Iran, selected via convenience sampling in 2024-2025. Participants were screened using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders (SCID-5-RV) and completed the Grolnick Perceived Parenting Scale, the Taylor & Cox Anxiety Sensitivity Index, and the Markstrom Ego Strength Scale. Data were analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA).
Findings: MANOVA revealed a significant overall difference between the two groups (Pillai’s Trace = .88, p <.001, η² = .88). The non-GAD group reported significantly higher levels of parental warmth (p <.001), parental autonomy support (p <.001), and ego strength (p <.001). Conversely, the GAD group exhibited significantly higher anxiety sensitivity (p <.001).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that a lack of parental warmth and autonomy during development, coupled with high anxiety sensitivity and low ego strength, is strongly associated with GAD in women experiencing the dual trauma of domestic violence and divorce. Interventions should focus on restructuring maladaptive cognitive schemas, enhancing emotion regulation, and building ego strength.
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