Negative emotion analysis in women suffering intimate partner violence: Guilt and anger

Abstract

The aim of this research was to analyze the correlation between depressive symptoms and guilt and anger components of negative affect in a sample of women who suffered intimate partner violence. The results showed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms (86%) and guilt feelings (62%). However, only a small group of women (14%) showed a low positive affect, the defining element of clinical depression according to the Tripartite Model. Both depression and guilt were significantly related to negative affect. Regarding the emotion of anger, we found clear evidence of the difficulties the battered group of women show in their internal expression, tending towards suppressing emotion, which may have an indirect but significant impact on negative emotivity.