EFFECTS OF SELF-CONCEALMENT ON HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIORS AND INCIDENCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMELESS VICTIMS
The research question, what is the effect of self-concealment on domestic violence homeless victims, is worthy of investigation, because the prevalence of homeless remains, with a large percentage being female domestic violence victims. Since previous research has failed to discover and eliminate reasons for this situation, and research also indicates that self-concealment results in a reduction in help-seeking activities which may lead to homelessness, it is reasonable to investigate this variable with this population. Previous studies have tended to focus on the homeless population, failing to compare data to a non-homeless population; this study will use samples from both groups. Therefore findings will provide information unique to this group that will advance the mental health field and assist with treatment and outreach programs designed to eliminate the problem.
The methods used for the review of the literature included a computer search on psychlit/psychinfo, an online data base accessed through the American Psychological Association, available at university libraries. Descriptors used included homelessness, domestic violence, self-concealment, and self-help avoidance. Articles chosen pertained to the research question and study variables. Sources used for the search included peer-review journals.
Limitations regarding the methodology of the studies reviewed are noted. Limitation for studies regarding homeless characteristics, include the focus on only one population, the use of different assessment techniques yielding unclear results, and small sample sizes. The domestic violence studies reviewed used case studies and clinical findings to provide information, which may have yielded limited results, and findings failed to control for confounding variables. In the studies regarding self-concealment, limit...