The decision to leave an abusive relationship: Economic dependence and psychological commitment.

Past research and theory suggest that a battered woman's economic dependence on her assailant, and her commitment to "saving" the relationship, are important factors in the decision to leave her partner. However, clear empirical evidence for these relationships is lacking. The present study examined these two factors, using both objective and subjective measures. Results indicated that both economic dependence and commitment were significantly, and independently, related to decisions to leave an abusive relationship. Furthermore, these results held for both objective and subjective measures, though more strongly for the latter.

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