Post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in battered womenSummaryBarbai, Ben-Shakhar, and Shalev (2007) conducted a research study to investigate the role played by learned helplessness (LH) in the duration and severity of violence against the female population as well as severity of symptoms and diagnoses of major depression (MDD) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women who have been exposed to domestic violence for a long time period of time. The study was conducted on 101 battered women residing in several shelters in Israel. Of the eleven shelters for battered women, the researchers visited eight over the course of 18 months. 140 women were invited to participate in the study. From the first approach only 102 agreed to participate, even if one of them did not finish the study; leaving the sample at 101. 60% of the women were originally from Israel, 23% from the Soviet Union, 5% from Arab countries, 4% from Europe, 4% from North America, 2% from the South America and finally two percent from Ethiopia. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Structured Clinical Interview was implemented to determine whether women suffered from clinical disorders. Using sound psychometric properties to estimate the frequency and severity of 17 PTSD symptoms that occurred using the modified PTSD scale, while the Beck Depression Inventory was used in assessing the severity of depression symptoms. This report has well-established reliability and validity. A 20-question self-report was created to measure the level of self-perceived learned helplessness. The questionnaire measures the difference between learned helplessness and post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression in women who have been victims of violence over a prolonged period of time. From eight different shelters in Israel, 101 women were asked to participate in this study and were financially rewarded for doing so. Also participating were 81 women attending self-defense courses and 81 other students. Different types of questionnaires were used to measure different degrees, exposure, duration and history of violence. It was concluded that 80% of test subjects who had PTSD had comorbid Axis I disorders and higher learned helplessness scores. Works Cited Bargai, N., Ben-Shakhar, G., & Shalev, A. Y. Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in battered women: The mediating role of learned helplessness. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 267-275.