Rural Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white women: effects of abuse on self-concept

This research arose from clinical practice in a rural Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white community in Southwest Texas. The practice focused on individual and group counseling for these women in abusive relationships. Effects of type of abuse (physical, sexual, psychological) on self-concept were identified. Rural Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white women experiencing sexual abuse versus other forms of abuse were found to have significantly lower perceptions of competency on a multi-dimensional measure of self-concept. Ethnic differences in self-concept were also found between groups of abused, rural Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white women.