This study investigates battered women's perception of marital abuse using attribution theory. A simple model, building on previous research, is tested by evaluating two hypotheses: (1) Women in a shelter or living separately will attribute more cause/responsibility/blame to their partner than those still in the abusive relationship; (2) The nature of the abuse, the partner's history of abuse toward others, the woman's beliefs about marital violence and women's roles in society, and the woman's self-efficacy will be predictive of her attributions. 88 battered women receiving services at women's centers were surveyed. The findings of the study support both hypotheses. Specifically, the study shows that women's beliefs about violence against women and about sex roles influence their attributions about the abuse. The resulting recommendations for social work practice include an early emphasis on modifying key attitudes which facilitate a change in attributions and, in turn, behavior
