Artículo de revista
Growing up with intimate partner violence at home: adolescents' narratives on their coping strategies
Date
2022Registration in:
Journal of Family Violence Early Access Jan 2022 Indexed 2022-01-12
10.1007/s10896-021-00345-7
Author
Miranda Miranda, Jenniffer Katherine
Olivares, Natalia
Crockett Castro, Marcelo Alejandro
Institutions
Abstract
Purpose The research on adolescents who have grown up around intimate partner violence (IPV) between their parents or
caregivers has mostly focused on adolescent’s victimization experiences and the negative impact of this type of violence on
their mental health. More research is needed on how they respond to these experiences. The aim of this study is to understand
adolescents’ coping strategies regarding IPV between their parents or caregivers, from their perspectives.
Methods The participants were ten adolescents between 12 and 17 years old (4 female and 6 male), users of protection
programs in Chile. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, using thematic narrative analysis afterward.
Results The results show seven coping strategies: intervention, social support seeking, protective role, positive resignifcation, hypervigilance, escape-avoidance, and denial. The narratives of the adolescents indicate that they face not only specifc
episodes of IPV but also the consequences and family dynamics that accompany this type of violence.
Conclusion Adolescents’ coping strategies can be organized in a continuum of IPV integration-distancing, based on the
degree and form of involvement in the experience. Growing up with IPV at home demands an early development of the sense
of agency and taking a position in the face of violence, transitioning between active and victim roles.