A pilot study of abuse among Vietnamese Amerasians
"This report describes a pilot study of the prevalence of physical and sexual abuse, and current levels of psychological distress correlated with a history of abuse, in a group of Vietnamese Amerasians bound for the United States. Abused male Amerasians reported significantly higher levels of psychological distress than nonabused male Amerasians, while abused and nonabused female Amerasians did not differ in their levels of psychological distress."
"This preliminary experiment tests whether African American and European American abused women who give testimony about their experiences of intimate partner violence and learn how to use yogic breathing techniques have reduced feelings of depression. Results indicate that learning yogic breathing techniques alone and combined with giving testimony significantly reduces feelings of depression. "
Acculturation, Partner Violence, and Psychological Distress in Refugee Women From Somalia
"This study examined the relations among acculturation, domestic violence, and mental health in 62 married refugee women from Somalia. The results showed that women who reported greater ability to speak English also reported more experiences of partner psychological abuse and physical aggression. Experiences of more psychological abuse and physical aggressions also predicted more psychological distress. Implications for future research and psychological services are addressed."
Adaptation Guidelines for Serving Latino Children and Families Affected by Trauma
"This document was created by experts in the fields of child trauma research, clinical practice, policy and cultural diversity to serve as a resource for anyone who works with Latino families who have experienced traumatic events. There are 12 priority areas covered ranging from micro issues (assessment and provision of therapy) to macro issues (organizational competence and policy). Each one includes an overview of the priority area, recommendations for improving practice based on that priority area, and additional resources for further information. Portions of these guidelines are geared for advocates and therapists, while other priority areas are designed for program administrators and policy makers."
Additional Scripts for Clinic Assessment (pdf)
This document is created for healthcare professionals and provides a series of scripted questions and responses when working with victims of violence. The information is intended to help communicate all the information needed to give to a patient as well as responding to immediate safety issues and making referrals.
Addressing Gender-based Violence: UNFPA Strategy and Framework for Action (pdf)
"This report identifies the particular areas where action is most urgently needed and proposes general policy frameworks for combating gender-based violence. The proposals, which focus on reducing gender inequality and discrimination, are aimed at UNFPA's overarching goal of eliminating violence against women and girls. The report critically examines existing policy frameworks, and suggests where future efforts need to be concentrated. "
American Indians and Suicide: A Neglected Area of Research
"Published studies indicate that American Indians experience the highest rate of suicide of all ethnic groups in the United States. This article synthesizes the epidemiology and risk factors associated with suicide among American Indians, barriers to research, prevention, mental-health services, and recommendations for research and practice."
"Abuse studies from the author’s laboratory, studies of children in orphanages who lacked emotional contact, and a large number of animal deprivation and enrichment studies point to the need for children and young nonhuman mammals to have both stable emotional attachments with and touch from primary adult caregivers, and spontaneous interactions with peers. If these connections are lacking, brain development both of caring behavior and cognitive capacities is damaged in a lasting fashion. The effects of the childhood environment, favorable or unfavorable, interact with all the processes of neurodevelopment."
Developmental Repair: A Training Manual (pdf)
Washburn Center for Children has recently completed a training manual on Developmental Repair – the treatment framework that has been developed and implemented in their Day Treatment Program under the clinical leadership of Anne Gearity PhD, LICSW. It is an intensive treatment model for working with young children who have experienced complex trauma and present with aggressive and disruptive symptoms.
Developmental Status and Early Intervention Service Needs of Maltreated Children (pdf)
"In this report, published by the Institute for Social and Economic Development, the authors analyze findings from the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study and the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. They provide information about the developmental status and early intervention service needs of children under age three who are substantiated for maltreatment. Topics include: 1) the extent to which maltreated children have developmental problems or are subject to factors associated with poor developmental outcomes; 2) the services maltreated children might be eligible for and ones they receive through the child welfare systems; 3) case characteristics, such as child welfare setting, that impact the effect of developmental services; and 4) existing barriers to services."
DID YOU KNOW YOUR RELATIONSHIP AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH? (Spanish) (pdf)
A tri-fold patient safety card which contains a checklist to assess safety, healthy/unhealthy relationships, and children's exposure to violence. The card also provides resources and information on how to get help.
Dissociative symptoms in relation to childhood physical and sexual abuse
"This study found that subjects with a history of childhood abuse reported higher levels of dissociative symptoms than those who did not."
Domestic Violence Against Women in Albania (pdf)
"This qualitative report examines the prevalence of domestic violence in Albania, including forms of domestic violence and complicating factors."
Domestic Violence Campus Organizing Guide for Health Professional Students and Faculty (pdf)
"This folio was created for professional health students and faculty to help raise awareness that domestic violence is a health care issue on campus and beyond. The folio provides recommendations on increasing student activism, curricular reform, on-campus trainings, community collaborations, faculty support, and provides examples of innovative approaches other professional health students have undertaken nationwide."
Domestic Violence is associated with environmental suppression of IQ in young children
The researchers document the consequences of early childhood stress, such as exposure to domestic violence, on brain development, which subsequently can lead to a lower IQ.
Domestic Violence, Mental Health & Trauma: Research Highlights (pdf)
"Provides statistical information and findings from several research reports. Statistics are provided on the prevalence of domestic violence and mental health in the U.S., followed by research findings supporting the connection between trauma and mental health."
"This study examines lifetime trauma exposure rates in women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), or neither diagnosis and whether this is related to measures of PTSD, depression, hostility, health symptoms, and health care utilization. Findings indicate that multiple trauma exposures were prevalent in this sample and PTSD and MDD groups reported greater past year health conditions and health care utilization."
Exposure to Violence: Psychological and Academic Correlates in Child Witnesses
2001 Report. Inner-city children are frequently exposed to violence; however, there are few data regarding the psychological and academic correlates of such exposure in young children at school entry. This study aims to document exposure to violence in inner-city children aged 7 years; assess their feelings of distress; and evaluate the relationships of exposure to violence with school performance, behavior, and self-esteem.
Family Violence: A Review of the Dysfunctional Behavior Patterns
December 2000 article. This Study examines family violence and the commonality of mental illness and other psychological problems experienced by the victims.
Findings About Partner Violence From the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study
July 1999. This NIJ Research in Brief examines the continual nature of antisocial behavior from adolescence through adulthood in an attempt to explain partner violence. Results are derived from a longitudinal study of a birth cohort from Dunedin, New Zealand, conducted over the past 21 years. Among the findings discussed are that partner violence can be linked to a variety of mental illnesses, family adversity, lack of schooling, and conviction of various crimes.
First Response to Victims of Crime Who Have a Disability (pdf)
"This handbook was created for law enforcement officers on how to approach and help crime victims with disabilities. It offers guidance and tips on approaching and interacting with victims who have Alzheimer’s disease, mental illness, or mental retardation, or who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing."
"This study estimated the frequency and correlates of intimate partner violence by type (physical, sexual, battering, or emotional abuse) among women seeking primary health care. Efforts to universally screen for partner violence and to effectively intervene to reduce the impact of such violence on women’s lives must be a public health priority."
Helping Culturally Diverse Victims of Interpersonal Violence: Avoiding Stereotypes & Meetings Needs
"This forum discusses the need to take people's culture into account when providing them with services for interpersonal violence and avoiding the trap of treating people in a cookie-cutter way, based on stereotypes about their culture. This forum is hosted by Lisa Aronson Fontes, PhD. Lisa is a Core Faculty Member in Union Institute & University's Psy.D. Program in Clinical Psychology and has dedicated almost 20 years to making the social service and mental health systems more responsive to culturally diverse people."
Helping with Domestic Violence: Legal Barriers to Serving Teens in Illinois (pdf)
November 2000. Report based on focus groups and interviews with a total of 110 service providers and teen groups in 1999-2000 to determine why so few services were available for teen victims of domestic violence. This research isolated a variety of Illinois laws and regulations that served as barriers. Subsequent review of laws in other states found that on some issues Illinois laws were more helpful to minors, but that in several key instances Illinois laws are in need of change. This report focuses on legal barriers to providing services to teen victims of domestic violence, specifically those that affect access to transitional and long-term housing, orders of protection for domestic violence, and health and mental health services.
Helping Young Children Affected by Domestic Violence: The Role of Pediatric Health Settiings (pdf)
This paper is part of series of paper that addresses the way to mobilize community and programatic resources to provide responsive help to children and families affected both by domestic violence and poverty. This particular paper addresses importance of pediatric health care and mental health care in addressing domestic violence.
A screening tool designed to be used by professionals who are not TBI experts, but can assess for possible head trauma or injury resulting from domestic violence.
How To Integrate Assessment for Violence and Reproductive Coercion Into Clinical Practice (pdf)
A resource for healthcare providers which outlines points to train staff working with victims of violence and reproductive coercion.
Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Treatment Foster Care (pdf)
The guide highlights valuable information, references, resources, and tools for implementing Evidence-based Practices (EBPs) in Treatment Foster Care (TFC) service settings. The Resource Guide identifies specific models, interventions, and tools that TFC providers can use to deliver effective services to the children, youth, and families in their care. It also provides “how-to” information to help TFC providers successfully implement desired EBPs in their programs.
"The implementation of a screening and referral system for supplemental mental health treatment among batterer program participants was investigated in a 2-year formative evaluation. The research team conducted direct observation of the agency procedures, participation in training and supervision meetings, debriefing interviews with administrators, and informal conversations with staff and clients. Inconsistencies and breakdowns associated with nearly every step of the screening and referral process were identified. Several underlying issues were also exposed: administrative absenteeism and turnover, administrative-staff gaps, client overload, and differing agency priorities. These issues reinforce the challenges facing coordinated community response."
Intersections of Harm and Health: A Qualitative Study of Intimate Partner Violence in Women's Lives
The purpose of this study was to determine how recent exposure to intimate partner violence affects women's health. An observation of a series of women's focus groups revealed that intimate partner violence led to adverse health effects, worsening already existing health problems, and increasing dependency on abusive partners where women are ill or disabled.
Intimate or Childhood Sexual Abuse and Obesity in Kentucky
This study concluded that sexual abuse, whether experienced as an adult or child, was associated with a 32% increase in obesity among 4,391 women in Kentucky. The study also found that intimate partner violence and obesity are common health threats for women. The authors suggest that efforts to prevent physical and sexual abuse and mental health consequences of abuse on victims can have implications to improve women's health.
Intimate Partner Violence Among Male and Female Russian University Students
"This article reports data from three Russian sites of the International Dating Violence Study. Using a sample of 338 university students (54% female) from three Russian university sites, four different types of partner violence are examined: physical assault, physical injury, sexual coercion, and psychological aggression. The study found that male and female students were about equally likely to be victims and perpetrators of all violent and aggressive actions and that high prevalence rates were found for all types of violence, aggression, and coercion. Recommendations for prevention are made in the conclusions."
Intimate Partner Violence and Healthy People 2010 Fact Sheet (pdf)
This paper draws statistics from a growing body of research that has linked intimate partner violence (IPV) to many of the leading health indicators defined in the federal Healthy People 2010 initiative. The Healthy People 2010 Leading Health Indicators covered in this fact sheet include: Overweight and Obesity, Tobacco Use, Substance Abuse, Responsible Sexual Behavior, Mental Health, Injury and Violence, Immunization, and Access to Health Care.
This document introduces voices of battered immigrant, refugee and indegenious women who were also involved in Child Protection Services. The document explores how community approach can enhance the physical, spiritual and mental health of individuals, families and communities and how this concept can be well utilized for policy and practice for social services.
Leave or Stay?: Battered Women's Decision After Intimate Partner Violence
"Using data from the Domestic Violence Experience in Omaha, Nebraska, a discrete-time hazard model was employed to examine a woman's decision to leave or stay based on four factors: financial independence, witness of parental violence, psychological factors, and the police response to the domestic violence call."
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect: State Statutes and Professional Ethics (pdf)
A comprehensive listing of state statutes on mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect. Also included is a listing of reporting requirements and code of ethics for professionals in various fields.
Measuring Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration: A Compendium of Assessment Tools (pdf)
"This compendium provides researchers and prevention specialists with a set of assessment tools with demonstrated reliability and validity for measuring the self-reported incidence and prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence victimization and perpetration. The information is presented to help researchers and practitioners make informed decisions when choosing scales to use in their work."
Mental Health and Domestic Violence: Collaborative Initiatives, Service Models, and Curricula
This document, geared toward professionals, contains information and guidelines for addressing the mental health impact of domestic violence and trauma. It examines collaborative treatment and service delivery models and reviews a few well respected training curricula.
Contact Info: Jennifer Ginsburg, M.S.S.W.
Information Specialist
Domestic Violence and Mental Health Policy Initiatve
1900 W. Polk Street, Rm 924
Chicago, IL 60612
jginsburg@dvmhpi.org
312/633-3223
"This study was conducted on university students in heterosexual relationships and examines the racial/ethnic and sex differences in the prevalence of mutual intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health symptoms. Analyses were conducted on four different racial/ethnic groups (African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and European Americans) and men reported stronger correlations between IPV perpetration and IPV victimization. The authors conclude that experiencing higher partner and coercive violence was significantly related to increased mental health symptoms for both members of the couple in the majority of the groups studied."
Physical Dating Violence Among High School Students --- United States, 2003
This article in brief addresses the incidence of physical dating violence among high school adolescents and introduces risk as well as protective factors.
"A study on the association between exposure to family violence during childhood and adolescence and adult posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The findings indicate that the more participants witnessed and experienced family violence, the more they exhibited PTSD symptoms. Findings also indicate that participants’ exposure to family violence explains a significant amount of the variance in their PTSD over and above the variance that can be attributed to their sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, number of siblings, and family’s socioeconomic status) and to their perceptions of the environment and functioning of their families. The limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are discussed."
Prevalence and Determinants of Intimate Partner Abuse Among Public Hospital Primary Care Patients (pdf)
"The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, sociodemographic determinants, and depression correlates of intimate partner abuse among an ethnically diverse population of women patients."
Preventing and Responding to Teen Dating Violence
"This special collection emphasizes collaborative and multilevel approaches to the prevention of and response to teen dating violence. It draws on the work of many organizations and organizes the resources on TDV prevention and responses by different populations."
Programming to Address Violence against Women (pdf)
"This is the second volume in a series that focuses on prevention and response tools for violence against women. The publication features eight case studies that highlight initiatives that have proven successful in combating violence against women: Algeria, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The UNFPA hopes to support current efforts in the eight case study countries and encourage other countries to take steps toward ending violence against women."
Psychological Abuse: A Discussion Paper (pdf)
"This paper is a review of research on psychological abuse in interpersonal and family relationships including in settings such as long-term care residences.The paper presents research findings on the personal, economic and health related costs of psychological abuse to the individual and to society, and briefly outlines legal recourses for victims. It concludes by exploring ways to recognize and address psychological abuse, while emphasizing the importance of developing holistic approaches "
Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory
This tool was created by Dr. Tolman for use in research on woman abuse. The questionnaire (PMWI-Female version) asks about actions that women experience in their relationships with their intimate partner.
Public Health, Mental Health and Violence Against Women Report
This monograph canvasses the most recent global, national and Victorian research which examines the nature and incidence of violence against women. It also enumerates the costs of this violence, in terms of mental and physical health, and the social and economic costs borne by the whole of the community as a consequence of the combination of cultural and individual factors that give rise to violence against women. This document also takes up the challenges made by the WHO Report on Violence and Health and makes recommendations about potential areas of activity that VicHealth may wish to consider for development through the mental health promotion strategy.
Screening and Assessment Tools for Child Welfare
Offers an alphabetical listing of screening and assessment tools for child welfare. These tools can be used by workers directly with families, building a common understanding regarding the family's needs, strengths, and resources, and that can be used to measure progress on goals over time.
Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Domestic Violence Advocates: Workplace Risk and Protective Factors
"This study identified workplace factors associated with secondary traumatic stress (STS) in a sample of 148 domestic violence advocates working in diverse settings. Findings indicate that coworker support and quality clinical supervision are critical to emotional well-being and that an environment in which there is shared power—that is, respect for diversity, mutuality, and consensual decision making—provides better protection for advocates than more traditional, hierarchical organizational models. The discussion includes implications for practice and policy as well as directions for future research."
Shattered Hearts: The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of American Indian Women and Girls in Minnesota (pdf)
A groundbreaking report released by the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC) highlights the alarming and pervasive sex trafficking of American Indian women and girls in Minnesota. The first comprehensive report of its kind, it highlights risk factors for victims that include poverty, a disproportionate number of American Indian homeless, high incidences of overall sexual assault, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and pervasive multi-generational trauma.
Starting Smart: How Early Experiences Affect Brain Development
"This report provides a straightforward summary of the interactions between early brain development, childhood emotional experiences and trauma. Drawing from this research, it concludes by making a case for increased services to counter the disadvantages faced by children who experience trauma or neglect."
Substance Abuse Among Southeast Asians in the U.S.: Implications for Practice and Research
"The literature on Asian-American substance use has shown a general increase in consumption and related problems due, in part, to the effects of acculturation toward U.S. drinking norms. Southeast Asians arc the most recent of Asian groups to come to the U.S., and have done so following an immigration and refugee experience that was among the most traumatic in recent memory resulting in significant levels of psychosocial distress. The combined influences of mental health disorders, which frequently co-occur with substance abuse, and acculturation pressures suggest that a significant increase in substance abuse problems may be in progress for Southeast Asian immigrants. The current article outlines the literature on substance abuse among Vietnamese, Cambodians and Laotians in the U.S., and makes tentative recommendations for assessment, treatment and future research."
Supervised Visitation: Information for Mothers Who Have Been Abused (pdf)
"This Guide should be given directly to mothers who have experienced abuse and whose children are in supervised visitation programs. It will tell mothers basic information about how supervised visitation programs work and how she can prepare herself and her children for the experience. If she is afraid of her children’s father or was abused by him, then the information in this Guide will be particularly helpful to her."
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a new toolkit which is designed to help continue the survival of Grassroots Community-Based organizations concerned about continuing critical services for people affected by substance abuse and mental health disorders.
This report examines the links between eating disorders and violence against women and girls. It is based on information gathered from published literature as well as consultations with community workers, health practitioners, and mental health professionals. “Swallowing the Hurt” has been designed for use by frontline workers, health care and social service professionals, educators, and researchers who offer services directly for or who may interact with women and girls experiencing eating disorders or violence.
The Cost of Violence in the United States
"The items on this fact sheet provide evidence of the large health and economic burden of violence in the US as reported in the journal article, Medical Costs and Productivity Losses Due to Interpersonal Violence and Self- Directed Violence."
The Epidemiology of Trauma and Trauma-Related Disorders in Children and Youth (pdf)
"This publication reviews general population studies, disaster research, child maltreatment studies, and special population studies that report the prevalence of PTSD in children, adolescents, and young adults. It includes a brief discussion of the cumulative adverse effects of traumatic stress experienced from infancy through adolescence."
The Impact of Conflict on Women and Girls in West and Central Africa and the UNICEF response (pdf)
"This first-of-its-kind study by UNICEF on the situation of war-affected girls and women in the region highlights innovative programmes being implemented with partners to address the impact of conflict, and recommends how UNICEF can more proactively champion the rights of girls - particularly adolescent girls."
"This study on adolescents and young adults examines the prevalence of physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner and its relationship with psychiatric disorders and psychosocial functioning. Physical dating violence was associated with poorer psychosocial functioning, substance dependence and comorbid Axis I diagnoses at 6-month follow-up. These findings suggest that youth mental health services are well positioned not only to screen for dating violence but to intervene to ameliorate the mental health consequences of abuse and to prevent further violence."
The Psychological Maltreatment of Children -Technical Report (2002)
"Psychological maltreatment is a common consequence of physical and sexual abuse but also may occur as a distinct entity. Until recently, there has been controversy regarding the definition and consequences of psychological maltreatment. Sufficient research and consensus now exist about the incidence, definition, risk factors, and consequences of psychological maltreatment."
"This study seeks to (a) identify and measure the lifetime exposure to community violence of 137 African American and Latino middle school students from a low income neighborhood and apply numerical weights to each violent event; (b) examine the relationship between the objective severity of child self reported violence exposure and the child's subjective perception of the most bothersome event; and (c) examine the relationship between child's exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)."
Violence Against Women: Classic Papers
The purpose of this project was to assemble some of the classic works in the field of violence against women so that new generations of students, practitioners, and researchers would have a collective understanding of the work that has shaped the field. Included are also commentaries from the original authors, when available, reflecting on why they authored the work when they did and the influence of their work on the field.
Welfare, Poverty, and Abused Women: New Research and its Implications (pdf)
"This summary of studies on domestic violence and TANF recipients explores their physical and mental health and work experience. It focuses on interference from their partners, barriers to work, the Family Violence Option, and the Child Support Exemption."
"This article describes mental health consequences for women who contend with both partner violence and poverty. It proposes that the stress, powerlessness, and social isolation at the heart of both phenomena combine to produce posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and other emotional difficulties. The article also introduces the term ‘‘survival-focused coping’’ to describe women’s methods of coping with IPV in the context of poverty and highlights the role that domestic violence advocates, mental health providers, and researchers can play in addressing these tightly intertwined phenomena."
This report documents the prevalence of intimate partner violence and its association with women's physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health. Data is included on non-partner violence, sexual abuse during childhood and forced first sexual experience. Information is also provided on women’s responses: Whom do women turn to and whom do they tell about the violence in their lives? Do they leave or fight back? Which services do they use and what response do they get?
World Report on Violence against Children
"This book addresses all violence against children within the family, schools, alternative care institutions and detention facilities, places where children work and communities. It lists the relevant international and national legal instruments and standards. It also describes the nature and impact of all forms of violence, indicating possible risk and causal factors. Finally, and most important, based on existing evidence and concrete examples, it provides detailed recommendation on measures to be taken to enhance the protection of children from violence."