| Abstract: | The effects of prior domestic violence may significantly affect older women who seek mental health services. In two community mental health centers, older women frequently presented with depressive and anxious symptoms, poor family relationships, multiple health problems, alcohol dependence (in themselves, their former spouses, and their children), and economic difficulties. Increased media attention to domestic violence often preceded first-time disclosure of abuse within their marriages, which often had occurred years ago. Peers and family members rarely provided adequate support. Practitioners should assess for prior abuse, and treatment must address the full spectrum of these clients' needs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
