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theses

One of the most significant barriers that survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) face when trying to leave an abusive relationship is a lack of financial resources (M. Anderson et al., 2003; Fugate et al., 2005; Meyer, 2012). Further, access to financial resources is a predictor of whether a survivor of IPV will terminate an abusive relationship (D. K. Anderson & Saunders, 2003; Bornstein, 2006). Recognizing that financial insecurity is a significant issue for survivors of IPV in the U.S., several domestic violence organizations have begun implementing financial empowerment programs, such as financial literacy interventions, for their clients. Financial literacy interventions focus on equipping individuals with financial planning and management skills as to improve their financial well-being (Vitt et al., 2000). There has been particular interest in financial literacy programs within the U.S. because they promote individual fiscal responsibility and well-being. Financial literacy interventions developed for survivors of IPV often focus on providing survivors with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate financial barriers that arise as a result of their abusive relationships (Peled & Krigel, 2016). Thus far, a few organizations have begun to import financial literacy programs designed for the general population and modify them for use with survivors of IPV. While initial evaluations of these programs have been positive, none have specifically focused on the construct of psychological empowerment in the financial domain (PEFD) and whether increasing financial literacy is effective in empowering survivors. As such, this dissertation aimed to answer one primary research question: For female survivors of IPV, did attending sessions on the Moving Ahead Through Financial Empowerment (Moving Ahead) curriculum result in increased PEFD over time? In answering this question, this dissertation aimed to: a) test a conceptual model for PEFD based on Christens’ (2012) nomological network for psychological empowerment; and b) use the measurement model developed in the first aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the Moving Ahead curriculum in increasing PEFD over time among the sample of participants. To answer this question, this secondary study utilized data from 449 female survivors of IPV who participated in a longitudinal randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of a financial literacy intervention on survivors of IPV. Survivors were recruited from 14 domestic violence organizations across 7 states plus Puerto Rico between July 2011 and March 2012. To address the first aim of this dissertation, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to determine the factor structure of the components of PEFD using data from T1. This was followed by longitudinal multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which was utilized to test for measurement invariance across the treatment and control groups over time. To answer the second aim of this dissertation, latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) was used to determine whether participants who received the intervention experienced changes in PEFD over time. PEFD was conceptualized using Christens’ (2012) nomological network for psychological empowerment and thus had four components: emotional, cognitive, relational, and behavioral. Overall, initial findings were positive, as CFAs utilized to test for longitudinal and multi-group measurement invariance demonstrated an acceptable model fit and partial scalar measurement invariance between the treatment and control groups. Results from the LGCM demonstrated that the intervention contributed to a statistically significant rate of change with the per-protocol analytic sample but not the intent-to-treat analytic sample. However, other factors may moderate the effectiveness of the intervention, specifically for the intent-to-treat analytic sample who did not complete the interviews across all four time points. In examining the construct of financial empowerment and testing the effectiveness of a financial literacy intervention in increasing PEFD among survivors of IPV, this dissertation furthers conceptualizations of PEFD for both research and practice. The findings also provide practical information to IPV service providers and policy makers on the benefits of financial literacy interventions and the need to invest more resources into their implementation.

ETD_8783

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by Laura Johnson

doi:10.7282/T3TM7FKD

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.