This study examined the relationship between depression, coping skills, and assertiveness in 63 battered women from four shelters. Hypotheses were: (1) Battered women are depressed as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory. (2) They are not assertive as measured by the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule. (3) They have poor coping skills as measured by McCubbin's F-Copes. (4) There is a negative relationship between depression and coping skills. (5) There is a negative relationship between depression and assertiveness. (6) There is a positive relationship between coping skills and assertiveness. Further analyses were done to examine if racial differences existed. The only difference was on the coping skills measure with black respondents coping less adequately than whites. Hypotheses 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 were supported by the results. No relationship was found between coping skills and depression
