The study sample was composed of 169 women over 18 years old who presented at the U.S. Attorney's Office's Domestic Violence Intake Center at the District of Columbia Superior Court. All participants had been recently assaulted and were pursuing legal assistance, counsel, and/or action. The sample was largely African-American, but participants were recruited without regard to race. The questionnaire packet used included questions on demographics, the severity and frequency of physical and psychological abuse during the past year, aspects of current social support, and types of current coping activities. The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List measured the perceived availability of four social support resources: tangible support (perceived availability of instrumental assistance); self-esteem support; belonging support (perceived availability of companionship); and appraisal support (perceived availability of others with whom one can discuss problems). The Problem-Focused Coping Scale was used to measure different ways the women responded to stress. The problem-focused subscales used in this study were active coping, planning, and seeking of instrumental support. These subscales best represent efforts to deal directly with the problem of battering. Instruments were also used to measure symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. Problem-focused coping was found to be associated with mental health symptoms only in women with lower levels of overall social support, as well as in women whose closest supporters gave mixed advice or advice to stay with their partners. This suggests that professionals who counsel and advocate for battered women must attend to the victim's indigenous support network and the kind of advice they are giving her. 7 tables and 37 references