ABSTRACT
Given the multifaceted disruptions caused by disaster, and how disaster intersects with intimate partner violence (IPV), this study identifies the resilience and self-mastery characteristics of IPV survivors in the aftermath of disaster. The study is guided by the conservation of resources theory (COR-theory), utilizing a resource loss and resource protection analytical model to determine predictors of resilience and self-mastery. A cross-sectional design was used that included secondary data generated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Gulf State Population Survey. Analysis involved employing a series of multiple regression models, comparing resilience outcomes of non-IPV and IPV populations who experienced the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill event. Results indicated that those respondents who reported experiencing IPV had stronger reactions to resource loss and resource protection, relative to the non-IPV sample. The study identifies implications for social service workers including the importance of cultivating basic resources when working with individuals and families affected by postdisaster IPV. Applying the resilience prediction model immediately postdisaster will allow first responders to make informed, evidence-based decisions about where and with whom to deploy their resources.