Locus-of-Hope and Help-Seeking Intentions of Filipino Women Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Correlates of help-seeking intentions of a sample of Filipino women victims of intimate partner violence were explored in this study, with a focus on the influence of locus-of-hope dimensions. Results indicated that self-esteem, most demographic and relationship factors were not systematically related to help-seeking intentions, but more educated battered women were less likely to seek help. As regards locus-of-hope dimensions, external-peer locus-of-hope positively predicted help-seeking intentions, whereas external-spiritual locus-of-hope negatively predicted help-seeking intentions. Results are discussed in terms of the psychological processes that guide decisions to seek help among battered women in the Philippines.