Article 1:
Addressing the Problem of Domestic Violence: How Far Have We Come? Loretta Pyles and Judy L. Postmus. Affilia, Winter 2004; vol. 19, 4: pp. 376-388.

Abstract:
The social work profession has a complex and arguably problematic history in relation to the problem of domestic violence. Through a review of abstracts of social work articles published from 1985 to 2000, the authors sought to determine whether anything has changed since Davis’s (1987) seminal study regarding the way in which the profession addresses the problem of domestic violence. The findings indicate that although researchers have done a good job of listening to the voices of battered women, there has been scant theorizing in the literature about the sexist origins of the problem.

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Article 2:
Still a Movement After All These Years?: Current Tensions in the Domestic Violence Movement. Amy Lehrner and Nicole E. Allen. Violence Against Women, June 2009; vol. 15, 6: pp. 656-677, first published on March 5, 2009.

Abstract:
The domestic violence movement began as a social change movement with dual goals of social change and service provision. Despite concerns about a devolution of the movement into apolitical service provision, few studies have investigated the current status of the movement as a social change movement. Through interviews with advocates, the current study explores the degree to which domestic violence work can still be characterized as a social change movement, illuminates some central tensions within the movement, and lays a foundation for debate among those responding to domestic violence. This research also highlights movement leaders' visions for a reenergized movement.

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Article 3:
Predicting the Psychosocial Effects of Interpersonal Partner Violence (IPV): How much does a Woman's History of IPV Matter? G. Anne Bogat, Alytia A. Levendosky, Sally Theran, Alexander Von Eye, and William S. Davidson. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, November 2003; vol. 18, 11: pp. 1271-1291.

Abstract:
Women's (N = 205) IPV experiences were assessed during their pregnancies, in the year before their pregnancies, and with their previous partners. The study explored whether psychosocial indicators and severity of violence could be predicted from a woman's continuity and history of IPV. Two 4-group classifications—partner (IPV experiences across partners) and time (history of IPV experiences)—and one 2-group classification (IPV or no IPV in the past 6 months) were compared. Both four-group classifications accounted for more variance than did the two-group. Within the four-group classifications, most of the significant differences on psychosocial out-comes and severity of IPV were between the no IPV and chronic IPV groups (IPV experiences with two partners and across three different time periods). However, the groups that also fared poorly were those who experienced recent IPV and continuity of IPV across time with their current partners.

Article 1:
Beyond PTSD: An Evolving Relationship Between Trauma Theory and Family Violence Research Kathryn A. Becker-Blease and Jennifer J. Freyd. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, April 2005; vol. 20, 4: pp. 403-411.

Abstract:
During the past 20 years, we have learned how similarly harmful are experiences of terror, violence, and abuse, whether they occur on the combat field or at home. The field of family violence has gained much from the field of traumatic stress, and collaborations between these two previously separate fields have yielded important new answers, as well as new research questions. The field of traumatic stress is poised to integrate, more fully than in the past, a variety of aspects of trauma such as social betrayal, as well as outcomes of trauma such as depression, criminality, and physiological harm that go beyond posttraumatic stress. The field of family violence has much to offer in this process. We look forward to improved research designs that will further our knowledge of how trauma affects aspects of people’s lives, including productivity, relationships, cognition, and emotions, in negative and positive ways.

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Article 2:
Controversy, Constraints, and Context: Understanding Family Violence Through Family Systems Theory. Christine E. Murray. The Family Journal, July 2006; vol. 14, 3: pp. 234-239.

Abstract:
This article discusses the controversies surrounding the use of family systems theory as a framework for understanding family violence. The author examines potential implications for the exclusion of family systems approaches in the research and treatment of family violence. In addition, the author describes several opportunities that may arise through the application of family systems theory to family violence for theory, practice, and research.

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Article 3:
Research And Interventions To Reduce Domestic Violence Revictimization. Daniel P. Mears. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, April 2003; vol. 4, 2: pp. 127-147.

Abstract:
Despite decades of research on domestic violence, considerable challenges must be addressed to develop sound, theoretically and empirically based interventions for reducing domestic violence revictimization. Many basic and applied research issues remain unaddressed by existing studies, and evaluations frequently do not sufficiently highlight their limitations or program or policy implications. Nonetheless, progress has been made, and practitioners and policy makers increasingly have a wide range of promising interventions from which to select. This article reviews research on domestic violence and focuses particular attention on interventions aimed at reducing revictimization among individuals known to have been abused. It also provides a conceptual framework for practitioners and policy makers to situate existing evaluation research and highlights the need for better data to understand and assess efforts to reduce domestic violence revictimization. The author concludes by discussing directions for future research and recommendations for practice and policy.

 

Article 1:
Understanding the Ecology of Child Maltreatment: A Review of the Literature and Directions for Future Research. Bridget Freisthler, Darcey H. Merritt, and Elizabeth A. LaScala. Child Maltreatment, August 2006; vol. 11, 3: pp. 263-280.

Abstract:
Studies examining neighborhood characteristics in relation to social problems, including child maltreatment, have proliferated in the past 25 years. This article reviews the current state of knowledge of ecological studies of child maltreatment. Taken as a whole, these 18 studies document a stable ecological relationship among neighborhood impoverishment, housing stress, and rates of child maltreatment, as well as some evidence that unemployment, child care burden, and alcohol availability may contribute to child abuse and neglect. The authors include a discussion of methodological difficulties in conducting research at the neighborhood level and present a set of recommendations for future research that emphasizes movement from a simple examination of neighborhood-level characteristics toward a theoretically driven explication of processes and mechanisms supported by appropriate multilevel modeling techniques. The final goal of such efforts would be to enable practitioners to develop evidence-based neighborhood interventions that would prevent and reduce child abuse and neglect.

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Article 2:
Preventing the Psychological Maltreatment of Children. Andree Fortin and Claire Chamberland. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, September 1995; vol. 10, 3: pp. 275-295.

Abstract:
Psychological violence and other forms of psychological abuse constitute the most frequent type of child maltreatment within the family setting. To effectively prevent psychological maltreatment, answers to four questions must be provided: First, what is the nature and scope of the problem (what to prevent)? Second, toward whom should intervention be directed (who is at risk)? Third, in what situations or milieus is the problem most likely to be observed (where should intervention be targeted)? Finally, which preventive strategies are the most effective (how to intervene)? This article addresses these questions and identifies both the challenges and resources available for intervention, primarily by focusing on the risk and protection factors associated with the psychological maltreatment of children.

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Article 3:
Risk Factors for Child and Adolescent Maltreatment: A Longitudinal Investigation of a Cohort of Inner-City Youth. Joshua P. Mersky, Lawrence M. Berger, Arthur J. Reynolds, and Andrea N. Gromoske. Child Maltreatment, February 2009; vol. 14, 1: pp. 73-88., first published on July 2, 2008.

Abstract:
This study investigates associations between individual, family, and extrafamilial factors and the likelihood of subsequent childhood and adolescent maltreatment. The authors analyzed 1,411 participants in the Chicago Longitudinal Study whose maltreatment records were verified from administrative data. Findings suggest that maternal age at the child's birth was a robust predictor of maltreatment outcomes. Receipt of public assistance and single-parent family status were significantly associated with select outcomes. Among school-age indicators examined, parent participation in school was negatively associated with most maltreatment outcomes. Participation in the Chicago Child-Parent Center program was negatively associated with maltreatment, although effects varied by type and timing of maltreatment. In separate analyses, several factors were associated with neglect, but only maternal age at the child's birth was associated with physical abuse. Findings suggest that prevention programs may need to target select populations and specific mechanisms associated with different types of maltreatment to maximize effectiveness.

Article 1:
Child Physical Abuse With and Without Other Forms of Maltreatment: Dysfunctionality Versus Dysnormality. Marie-Claude Larrivée, Marc Tourigny, and Camil Bouchard. Child Maltreatment, November 2007; vol. 12, 4: pp. 303-313.

Abstract:
The fact that most etiological studies of physical abuse have not taken into account co-occurrence of different forms of maltreatment calls into question the validity of our knowledge on the subject. The aim of this study, therefore, is to compare the etiological patterns of cases of physical abuse reported to Quebec child protective services (CPS) according to whether the abuse occurs alone or co-occurs with other forms of maltreatment. The data are taken from the Quebec Incidence Study (QIS), which examined 4,929 reports investigated by Quebec CPS in the fall of 1998. The cases included 514 children who were physically abused: 269 of them were not subjected to any other type of maltreatment and 245 were also victims of one or two other forms of maltreatment. The survey form provided information on more than 30 characteristics of the children reported, their families, and their parental figures. Bivariate and direct logistic regression analyses revealed that the profile of physical abuse cases varies depending on whether the physical abuse occurs alone (what we are calling dysnormality) or in combination with one or two other forms of maltreatment (dysfunctionality). Those results will help deepen our etiological knowledge of physical abuse and may serve to inspire different types of intervention for the two groups of children.

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Article 2:

An Overview of Child Physical Abuse: Developing an Integrated Parent-Child Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Approach. Melissa K. Runyon, Esther Deblinger, Erika E. Ryan, and Reena Thakkar-Kolar. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, January 2004; vol. 5, 1: pp. 65-85.

Abstract:
This article reviews and summarizes the extant literature regarding child physical abuse (CPA). Literature is summarized that describes the wide range of short-and long-term effects of CPA on children as well as the documented characteristics of parents/caregivers who engage in physically abusive parenting practices. Although the reviewed research documents that interventions geared only toward the parent have been found to produce significant improvements with respect to parenting abilities, parent-child interactions, and children’s behavior problems, there is a paucity of research examining the efficacy of interventions developed specifically to target the child’s emotional and behavioral difficulties. Based on the few studies that have shown emotional and behavioral gains for children who have participated in treatment, an integrated parent-child cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach is proposed here to address the complex issues presented by both parent and child in CPA cases. The direct participation of the child in treatment also may improve our ability to target posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive symptoms as well as anger control and dysfunctional abuse attributions in the children themselves. Implications for practice, public policy, and research are also addressed.

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Article 3:
Childhood Physical Abuse, Childhood Social Support, and Adult Child Abuse Potential. John A. Caliso and Joel S. Milner. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, March 1994; vol. 9, 1: pp. 27-44.

Abstract:
The childhood experience of physical abuse is believed to be associated with parental child abuse. However, not all parents with a childhood history of abuse are abusive, indicating that factors such as social support may buffer the effects of childhood abuse. To examine the role of social support in the discrimination of physical child abusers and nonabusers, the Childhood Social Network Questionnaire (CSNQ) and the Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory were given to matched groups of physical child abusers with a childhood history of physical abuse, nonabusers with a childhood history of physical abuse, and nonabusers without a childhood history of physical abuse. Overall, CSNQ factors and the CAP abuse scale each distinguished between physical child abusers and nonabusers. The CAP abuse scale, however, provided the highest classification rates, and the rates were not improved by the addition of social support factors. In contrast to expectations, none of the social support factors distinguished between physical child abusers with a childhood history of physical abuse and the group of nonabusers with a childhood history of physical abuse.

 

Article 1:
Child Abuse and Domestic Violence in Families of Children Seen for Suspected Sexual Abuse. Kathryn Bowen. Clinical Pediatrics, January 2000; vol. 39, 1: pp. 33-40.


Abstract:
We surveyed families of children seen in a sexual abuse evaluation clinic regarding domestic violence in the child's home and physical and sexual abuse during childhood among the mothers. Domestic violence occurred in 54% (216/402) of the children's homes; 28% (111/392) of mothers reported childhood physical abuse, and 42% (167/395) reported sexual abuse. There were no differences in the rates of domestic violence (X2=0.42, 2df, p=0.8), maternal physical abuse (X2=2.40, 2df, p=0.3), or maternal sexual abuse (X2=2.11, 2df, p=0.3) based on whether our current patient was at high, medium, or low risk for having actually experienced sexual abuse. Neither domestic violence in the child's home nor the mother's childhood experience of abuse was increased if the child's perpetrator was a relative or lived in the home. Domestic violence in the child's home was more frequent if the mother had experienced physical abuse during childhood (65%, 70/107) than if she had not (48%, 130/271; X2=8.69, p<0.01). Child sexual abuse is part of a global pattern of victimization, and clinicians must address other forms of family violence when evaluating a child for allegations of sexual abuse.

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Article 2:
Relationship of Attributional Style, Depression, and Posttrauma Distress Among Children who Suffered Physical or Sexual Abuse. Melissa K. Runyon and Maureen C. Kenny. Child Maltreatment, August 2002; vol. 7, 3: pp. 254-264.

Abstract:
This study examined the relationship of attributional style, posttrauma, and depressive symptoms among children who have suffered either physical or sexual abuse. Ninety-eight children (67 physically abused, 31 sexually abused) were administered a depression inventory, the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder–Reaction Index (PTSD-RI), and Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire (CASQ). With regard to group differences, the sexual abuse group scored significantly higher on the PTSD-RI, whereas the physical abuse group scored higher on the CASQ Composite for Negative Events. Results also indicated that attributional style predicted depression beyond the variance accounted for by abuse type (i.e., physical or sexual). However, the best predictor of PTSD-RI scores was an interaction effect between abuse type and negative attributional style. Clinical implications of these findings for children who suffer abuse are discussed.

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Article 3:
Adult Female Victims of Child Sexual Abuse: Multitype Maltreatment and Disclosure Characteristics Related to Subjective Health. Eva Jonzon and Frank Lindblad. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, June 2005; vol. 20, 6: pp. 651-666.

Abstract:
This study examined the impact of child sexual abuse and disclosure characteristics on adult psychological and psychosomatic symptoms. Data on abuse characteristics, disclosure-related events, and subjective health were collected through semistructured interviews and questionnaires from 123 adult women reporting having been sexually abused in childhood by someone close. The results indicate that disclosure-related events have a stronger relation than abuse characteristics to long-term consequences of childhood sexual abuse. In particular, a positive reaction from a partner was related to fewer symptoms. Of the abuse characteristics, exposure also to physical abuse was strongly associated to psychological sequelae.

Article 1:
Physical Child Abuse and Adolescent Violent Delinquency: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Personal Relationships. Suzanne Salzinger, Margaret Rosario, and Richard S. Feldman. Child Maltreatment, August 2007; vol. 12, 3: pp. 208-219.

Abstract:
Adolescent personal relationships with parents and peers are studied for their mediating and moderating roles in the effect of preadolescent physical abuse on adolescent violent delinquency. One hundred physically abused preadolescents and 100 matched nonabused classmates were studied at 10 and 16 years. Adolescent attachment to parents and verbal and physical abuse in relationships with parents during adolescence mediated between preadolescent abuse and later violent delinquency. Friends' delinquency in adolescence and verbal and physical abuse with best friends in adolescence moderated the relationship between early abuse and later violent delinquency. Low levels of delinquency among friends significantly decreased risk for violent delinquent outcome for abused as contrasted to nonabused adolescents. Abusive behavior with best friends exacerbated risk for violent delinquent outcome more for abused than for nonabused adolescents. Attachment to friends was not found to play a significant role in the relationship between childhood abuse and adolescent violent delinquency.

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Article 2:
Book Review: Therapeutic Treatment of Adolescents and those Abused as Adolescents: A Review of Three Relevant Publications. Tina M. Fryling. Criminal Justice Review, Spring 2001; vol. 26, 1: pp. 79-92.

Abstract:
No Abstract Available

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Article 3:
Personality-Based Typology of Adolescent Male Sexual Offenders: Differences in Recidivism Rates, Victim-Selection Characteristics, and Personal Victimization Histories. James R. Worling. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, July 2001; vol. 13, 3: pp. 149-166.

Abstract:
California Psychological Inventory scores from 112 adolescent male sexual offenders aged 12-19 (M = 15.59, SD = 1.46) were examined. A cluster analysis of factor-derived scores revealed four personality-based subgroups: Antisocial/ Impulsive, Unusual/lsolated, Overcontrolled/Reserved, and Confident/Aggressive. Significant differences were observed between groups regarding history of physical abuse, parental marital status, residence of the offenders, and whether or not offenders received criminal charges for their index sexual assaults. Subgroup membership was unrelated to victim age, victim gender, and offenders' history of sexual victimization. Recidivism data (criminal charges) were collected for a period ranging from 2 to 10 years (M = 6.23, SD = 2.02). Offenders in the two more pathological groups (Antisocial/Impulsive and Unusual/Isolated) were most likely to be charged with a subsequent violent (sexual or nonsexual) or nonviolent offense. The four-group typology based solely on personality functioning is remarkably similar to that found by W. R. Smith, C. Monastersky, and R. M. Deisher in 1987 from their cluster analysis of MMPIscores. In addition to implications for risk prediction, the present typology is suggestive of differential etiological pathways and treatment needs.

 

Article 1:
“If It Hurts You, Then It Is Not a Joke”: Adolescents’ Ideas About Girls’ and Boys’ Use and Experience of Abusive Behavior in Dating Relationships. Heather A. Sears, E. Sandra Byers, John J. Whelan, and Marcelle Saint-Pierre. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, September 2006; vol. 21, 9: pp. 1191-1207.

Abstract:
This study examined adolescents’ ideas about girls’ and boys’ use and experience of physical and psychological abuse in heterosexual dating relationships. Canadian high school students who were enrolled in Grades 9 and 11 took part in single-gender focus groups. Eight themes emerged from the analysis. The themes highlight the importance teenagers place on context for defining specific behaviors as abusive. They also underscore gender differences in the criteria adolescents use to make these judgments, in the forms of abusive behavior teenagers typically use in a dating relationship, and in the reasons for youths’ declining use of physical abuse and increasing use of psychological abuse. These views have important implications for future research and for programs targeting adolescent dating violence.

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Article 2:
Clustering of Adolescent Dating Violence, Peer Violence, and Suicidal Behavior. Robert M. Bossarte, Thomas R. Simon, and Monica H. Swahn. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, June 2008; vol. 23, 6: pp. 815-833., first published on February 5, 2008.

Abstract:
To understand the co-occurrence of multiple types of violence, the authors developed a behavioral typology based on self-reports of suicidal behaviors, physical violence, and psychological abuse. Using a sample of dating adolescents from a high-risk school district, they identified five clusters of behaviors among the 1,653 students who reported being abusive or violent in the past year. Victimization and perpetration with same-sex peers and dating partners clustered together among the students who reported the highest levels of abusive (n = 357) or violent behavior (n = 146). These students also reported high levels of suicidal behavior. There were few significant demographic differences across clusters. The implications of the results for the need to design and evaluate efforts to prevent multiple types of violence are discussed.

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Article 3:
Predicting the Occurrence of Stalking in Relationships Characterized by Domestic Violence. Heather C. Melton. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, January 2007; vol. 22, 1: pp. 3-25.

Abstract:
A high correlation has been found between domestic violence and stalking. However, very few studies have examined what factors predict the occurrence of stalking in relationships characterized by domestic violence. Using in-depth interviews with victims of domestic violence whose cases have gone through the criminal justice system, this article explores this issue. It was found that experiences of stalking by their abusers were very prevalent in this group of domestic violence victims. In terms of predicting stalking, domestic violence victims who were not in a relationship with their abuser, whose abusers had an alcohol or drug problem, who experienced more controlling behaviors by their abusers, and who had experienced prior stalking by their abusers were at the greatest risk of experiencing more severe stalking. Implications for intervention are discussed.

Article 1:
An Arresting Experiment: Domestic Violence Victim Experiences and Perceptions. JoAnn Miller. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, July 2003; vol. 18, 7: pp. 695-716.

Abstract:
This study looks at the experiences and perceptions that domestic violence victims reported with Mills's power model. The victims' partners were the primary research participants in an arrest experiment. The following were empirically examined: the occurrence of violence following suspect arrest, victim perceptions of personal and legal power, victim satisfaction with the police, and victim perceptions of safety following legal intervention. Race and two victim resource measures (i.e., employment status and income advantage) explained variance in perceptions of independence. A police empowerment scale was used to measure legal power. It was found that arrest affected the probability of reoccurring domestic violence. Suspect arrest and the victim's perceptions of legal power were related to perceptions of safety following police intervention. The study concludes with some implications for domestic violence research, programs, and perspectives.

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Article 2:
Trauma Symptoms and Life Skill Needs of Domestic Violence Victims. Mrugaya W. Gorde, Christine A. Helfrich, and Marcia L. Finlayson. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, June 2004; vol. 19, 6: pp. 691-708.

Abstract:
Data were obtained from the Chicago Women’s Health Risk Study, in which 491 abused women were interviewed in public health centers and a hospital. Responses of a subgroup of these women who did not seek help through the identified interventions are examined. Common themes emerge across the help-seeking interventions studied: individual thresholds for the seriousness of the violence, a perceived requirement to end the relationship, and certain specific barriers. The responses provide a glimpse into abused women’s reasons for not seeking particular interventions. Implications for public health, mental health, domestic violence counseling agencies, and the police are discussed.

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Article 3:
The Voices of Domestic Violence Victims: Predictors of Victim Preference for Arrest and the Relationship Between Preference for Arrest and Revictimization. David Hirschel and Ira W. Hutchison. Crime & Delinquency, April 2003; vol. 49, 2: pp. 313-336.

Abstract:
This article focuses on what female victims of domestic violence expect the police to do when they call for assistance during an abusive incident and whether there is an association between their desire for formal intervention and subsequent victimization and offender aggression. The 419 victims interviewed in this study had a variety of expectations ranging from simply warning to arresting the offender. A combination of victim characteristics, offender characteristics, and incident characteristics was predictive of victim desire for arrest, and victim desire for arrest was significantly associated with subsequent threat of abuse and actual abuse of the victim. The implications of these findings for preferred and mandatory arrest policies are discussed.

Article 1:
Abusers' Perceptions of the Effect of Their Intimate Partner Violence on Children. Emily F. Rothman, David G. Mandel, and Jay G. Silverman. Violence Against Women, November 2007; vol. 13, 11: pp. 1179-1191.

Abstract:
Little is known about how intimate partner violence (IPV) abusers perceive the effect of their violence on their children. Analyzing the attitudes and behavioral intentions of 464 partner-abusive fathers, biological fathers were found to be more likely than social fathers to express concern about the effects of their abuse on their children. However, biological fathers were no more likely than social fathers to report intentions to stop their violence or otherwise take action to mitigate the harm of IPV exposure to their children. The findings suggest that fathers' statements of concern may be poor indicators of their intentions to refrain from abusive behavior.

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Article 2:
Predictors of Change among Male Batterers: Application of Theories and Review of Empirical Findings. Katreena L. Scott. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, July 2004; vol. 5, 3: pp. 260-284.

Abstract:
The efficacy of batterer treatment is a concern of clinicians, researchers, and policy makers. Most past research on batterer treatment has defined success as a cessation of men’s physical abuse against their intimate partner. Although clearly an important outcome, focus on assault leaves many questions unanswered about the broader impact of batterer treatment and the processes through which successful change may be promoted. With the aim of encouraging complexity in the consideration of change among batterers, the current article reviews studies that go beyond dichotomous outcomes. First, evidence for the success of batterer treatment is considered from multiple perspectives: men’s, women’s, and the intervention system. Next, an in-depth review of research on factors relating to change in abusive men is completed using feminist, family systems, individual, and typology theories as an organizing framework. Numerous recommendations are made for integrating theories of change with investigations of treatment success in future work.

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Article 3:
Resistance Among Domestic Violence Offenders: Measurement Development and Initial Validation. Deborah A. Levesque, Wayne F. Velicer, Patricia H. Castle, and R. Neil Greene. Violence Against Women, February 2008; vol. 14, 2: pp. 158-184.

Abstract:
Batterers' resistance to traditional intervention programs has been well documented. Within a Transtheoretical Model of Change (stage of change) framework, a measure of processes of resistance was developed and administered to 346 adult male domestic violence offenders in treatment. The study yielded a 38-item measure that assesses eight dimensions of resistance: (a) System Blaming, (b) Problems with Partner, (c) Problems with Alliance, (d) Social Justification, (e) Hopelessness, (f) Isolation, (g) Psychological Reactance, and (h) Passive Reactance. The relationship between resistance and stage of change, time in treatment, and partner aggression are reported. Results suggest that we look beyond the most common forms of resistance (e.g., denial and victim-blaming) to identify and address other forms of resistance that may be more internally based and difficult to detect. The processes of resistance measure provides a tool for measuring those types of resistance.

 

Article 1:
Abuse in Later Life: Power and Control Dynamics and a Victim-Centered Response. Deb Spangler and Bonnie Brandl. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, January 2007; vol. 12, 6: pp. 322-331.

Abstract:
Too often, older, women are abused, neglected, and exploited. In cases where the older victim and perpetrator have an ongoing relationship, power and control dynamics like those used against younger battered women are often present. In these cases, a victim-centered response and some strategies used with younger victims of domestic violence may be most effective in promoting safety and ensuring support and services. To assist mental health professionals and psychiatric nurses, this article focuses on three main topics: the dynamics of abuse in later life, a victim-centered response, and working collaboratively with other disciplines to offer a comprehensive response to these complex cases.

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Article 2:
Interpersonal Violence and Women With Disabilities: Analysis of Safety Promoting Behaviors. Laurie E. Powers, Paula Renker, Susan Robinson-Whelen, Mary Oschwald, Rosemary Hughes, Paul Swank, and Mary Ann Curry. Violence Against Women, September 2009; vol. 15, 9: pp. 1040-1069., first published on July 16, 2009

Abstract:
Very little information exists related to the interpersonal violence safety promoting behaviors of women with disabilities. Information about women’s use of safety promoting behaviors was gathered from 305 disabled and deaf women who completed an anonymous Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview. Exploratory factor analyses revealed factors related to seeking abuse-related safety information, building abuse-related safety promoting skills, using relationship support, planning for emergencies, taking legal action, and managing safety in personal assistance relationships. Four of these factors demonstrated significant relationships to women’s experience of different forms of abuse and their perpetrator’s characteristics.

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Article 3:
Elder abuse. Christopher Dyer and Jed Rowe. Trauma, April 1999; vol. 1, 2: pp. 163-169.

Abstract:
Accident and emergency departments are often the first point of contact for an abused older person. Elder abuse is common and can take many forms, including physical, psychological, financial and sexual abuse, or neglect. The stereotypical victim of abuse as a frail roleless female is probably not accurate, as there appears to be little correlation between the degree of physical and mental disability of the victim and subsequent physical abuse. Elder abuse is most often domestic violence that has graduated into old age.
Identifying physical abuse is not always easy - the key feature is the incongruity between the signs of injury and the account of the process that led to it. While accident and emergency departments have well-established mechanisms to deal with suspected cases of child abuse, very few have procedures for handling elder abuse. Raising the awareness of healthcare workers in this area is seen as a vital goal in tackling this problem.

 

Article 1:
Risk for Intimate Partner Violence and Child Physical Abuse: Psychosocial Characteristics of Multirisk Male and Female Navy Recruits. Lex L. Merrill, Julie L. Crouch, Cynthia J. Thomsen, and Jennifer M. Guimond. Child Maltreatment, February 2004; vol. 9, 1: pp. 18-29.

Abstract:
This study examined psychosocial characteristics of individuals at risk for perpetrating both intimate partner violence (IPV risk) and child physical abuse (CPA risk). The sample consisted of 775 female and 592 male Navy recruits. The psychosocial variables assessed included symptoms of dysphoria, posttraumatic stress, self-dysfunction, alcoholrelated problems, and drug use. IPV risk and CPA risk were positively associated with approximately9% of the total sample considered multirisk (i.e., positive for both IPV risk and CPA risk). Results of regression analyses revealed that patterns of predictors (demographic and psychosocial variables) for IPV-risk only and CPA-risk only differed with multirisk individuals characterized by the combined predictors of both types of violence risk. Nearly half (47.2%) of the multirisk individuals were characterized by multiple (i.e., two or more) clinical elevations on the psychosocial characteristics assessed.

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Article 2:
Domestic Violence Across Race and Ethnicity: Implications for Social Work Practice and Policy; Susan F. Grossman and Marta Lundy. Violence Against Women,October 2007; vol. 13, 10: pp. 1029-1052.

Abstract:
Domestic violence occurs across all ethnic and racial groups, profoundly affecting women, who are most frequently the victims. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2050, 50% of the population will be minorities. To contribute to the growing literature on race and domestic violence, this article uses data derived from domestic violence programs in a large Midwestern state between 1990 and 1995 to focus on the experiences of victims who sought services and examine how they vary by race and ethnicity. The limitations as well as practice and policy implications of the findings are discussed.

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Article 3:
Domestic Violence Between Same-Gender Partners: Recent Findings and Future Research. Joan C. McClennen. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, February 2005; vol. 20, 2: pp. 149-154.

Abstract:
Empirical literature about same-gender domestic violence was relatively nonexistent until the past 20 years, and conducting research with this population about a sensitive topic remains a daunting endeavor. Existing studies reveal similarities between opposite-and same-gender domestic violence in prevalence, types of abuse, and various dynamics, as well as dispel myths and establish a theoretical basis on which to conduct future research. Differences are evident in areas such as help-seeking behaviors and correlates, thus demanding unique assessment and intervention strategies. This article presents further explanation of the latest research, recommendations for future studies, and effective as well as problematic methodological practices about same-gender domestic violence.

 

Article 1:
Advancing Prevention Research on Child Abuse, Youth Violence, and Domestic Violence: Emerging Strategies and Issues. Neil B. Guterman. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, March 2004; vol. 19, 3: pp. 299-321.

Abstract:
Prevention research on the related problems of child abuse, youth violence, and domestic violence has grown at an accelerating pace in recent years. In this context, a set of shared methodological issues has emerged as investigators seek to advance the interpersonal violence prevention knowledge base. This article considers some of the persistent methodological issues in these areas and points out emerging research strategies that are forging advances in garnering valid, rigorous, and useful knowledge to prevent interpersonal violence. Research issues and emerging strategies in three key domains of prevention research are considered, including complexities in validly conceptualizing and measuring varying forms of violence as specific targets for preventive intervention, research issues and strategies designed to reliably predict and identify future violence risk to be targeted by preventive intervention, and research issues and emerging strategies in the application of empirical methods to forge specific advances in preventive intervention strategies themselves.

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Article 2:
The Effects of Early Prevention Programs for Families with Young Children at Risk for Physical Child Abuse and Neglect: A Meta-Analysis. Liesl Geeraert, Wim Van den Noortgate, Hans Grietens, and Patrick Onghena. Child Maltreatment, August 2004; vol. 9, 3: pp. 277-291.

Abstract:
In this article, a meta-analysis is presented on 40 evaluation studies of early prevention programs for families with young children at risk for physical child abuse and neglect with mostly nonrandomized designs. The main aim of all programs was to prevent physical child abuse and neglect by providing early family support. For the meta-analysis, a multilevel approach was used. A significant overall positive effect was found, pointing to the potential usefulness of these programs. The study demonstrated a significant decrease in the manifestation of abusive and neglectful acts and a significant risk reduction in factors such as child functioning, parent-child interaction, parent functioning, family functioning, and context characteristics.

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Article 3:
Domestic Violence Training Policies: Influence on Participation in Training and Awareness of Abuse. Brian Payne, Dianne Cyr Carmody, Stacey Plichta, and Tancy Vandecar-Burdin. Affilia, August 2007; vol. 22, 3: pp. 292-301.

Abstract:
Victims of domestic violence rely on various human services professionals for an assortment of needs. Consequently, professionals must be prepared to recognize the signs of domestic violence, the needs of victims, and strategies to serve victims effectively. It is believed that in-service training programs are useful in better preparing social services workers for these areas. Many workers, however, may not participate in such training. This study examined how the presence of domestic violence training policies influences participation in training programs and awareness of domestic violence. Implications for practice are provided.