Social Work Research Related to Violence

• Completed in 2000, CDC funded an evaluation to study the effectiveness of coordinated community responses to violence against women. The resulting report addresses: 1) Improvement of rates of identification and referral of domestic violence victims by agency practitioners; 2) Overall effectiveness of the project in terms of reducing recidivism and abusive behavior and improving victim safety; 3) Effectiveness of the Enhanced Men's Non-Violence Program; 4) Use of risk assessment by practitioners and its' relationship to recidivism. Melanie Shepard and Dennis Falk of the Department of Social Work, University of Minnesota-Duluth conducted the study of a program funded by CDC at the Duluth Domestic Violence Abuse Intervention Project (Shepard, http://www.duluth-model.org/daipeval.htm and http://www.d.umn.edu/%7Emshepard/DAIP.html2003 ).
• CDC funded an intervention research project to develop, implement and evaluate a domestic violence intervention using traditional Native Hawaiian beliefs, values and practices with Native Hawaiian batterers and battered women in Hawaii . This examination of a coordinated community response evaluates the effectiveness of using cultural specific interventions. It is a 5-year project that began in 2000 and is a collaboration between the University of Hawaii School of Social Work and two community based programs - a domestic violence service agency and a Native Hawaiian child welfare/community development organization serving Native Hawaiian orphaned and destitute children. Valli Kalei Kanuha, School of Social Work , University of Hawaii , is the principal investigator (V.K. Kanuha, personal communication, December 10, 2002 ).
• CDC funded in 2003, a three year project to develop a program to prevent aggression, violence and substance abuse among Hispanic youth in North Carolina . The intent of this three-phase project is to help North Carolina schools aid Hispanic students and their families. Research will include conducting in-depth interviews to try to learn how risk and protective factors in the acculturation process affect youth violence and suicide rates. Next researchers will use this collected information to create a program to prevent violence and suicide geared toward Hispanic students. Finally, researchers will collaborate with schools to pilot the new program among Hispanic adolescents from rural and urban counties. This new research project, will investigate much needed information regarding risk and protective factors against youth violence and suicide. Paul Smokowski and Mimi Chapin, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work serve as principal investigators. The project will also develop interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions.
• Promoting Assets Across Cultures, Nancy Farwell, University of Washington School of Social Work is utilizing participatory action research (PAR) methods to assess youth leadership, community-building, and community mobilization activities with the purpose of promoting healthy interethnic and intergenerational relationships in Seattle Housing Authority's "Garden Communities." ( http://depts.washington.edu/sswweb/resweb/researcher_index.html )

Research on Consequences of Domestic Violence and/or Child Maltreatment on Children and Adolescents

1. Examining the impact of family violence on child behavior, developmental patterns and outcomes, University of Washington School of Social Work investigators presented a symposium at the 2003 SSWR conference, highlighting findings from several studies. Linked to data from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective study that began in the 1970's, to examine the correlates and consequences of child maltreatment, the University of Washington research suggests:.
   • A significant relationship between exposure to domestic violence and risk of depression and high school dropout rates Findings suggest a causal relationship between exposure to domestic violence and important long-term consequences in adolescence.
   • Physical abuse, psychological abuse and child endangerment may predict both youth violence and substance use in adolescence
   • Different parenting styles in regard to how children are disciplines may result in different youth outcomes. . (Herrenkohl, T. I., Tajima, E.A., Huang, B., Whitney , S.D. , Kim, M-J, 2003).
2. Limited research exists on the impact of substantiated maltreatment of adolescents on antisocial behavior. This study, by Smith and Ireland , presented at the 2003 SSWR Conference examines incidences of adolescent maltreatment and finds that experiencing substantiated maltreatment leads to increased odds of arrest, general delinquency, violent crime and illicit drug use. The research provides information for further discussion of implications for professional educational training, improving prevention and treatment of adolescent maltreatment, and child welfare interventions (Smith, C. & Ireland, T., 2003

Research on Risk Factors

Investigations of risk and protective factors of intimate partner violence, child maltreatment and sexual violence are important. If it is possible to determine risk factors of violence, it may be possible to determine preventative measures to address those risks. Several studies investigate the link of substance abuse, poverty, and/or mental health issues to experience of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect and sexual violence.

1. 5-year demonstration project conducted by the University of Maryland , and carried out in a neighborhood setting, focused on increasing safety and well being for families at risk for child neglect. The preliminary results of this DHHS Children's Bureau (0ffice on Child Abuse and Neglect) grant indicate that long term interventions with families may be helpful for the caregivers' well-being, and consequently the family and children's well-being, reducing incidences of neglect. (DePanfilis, Daining, Ting, Park, & Haynes, 2003). The intervention model is guided by eight principles: 1) Community-based outreach, 2) Family assessment and tailored intervention, 3) Development of a helping alliance, 4) Empowerment-based practice, 5) Application of the strengths perspective, 6) Culturally competent intervention, 7) Outcome-driven service plans, 8) Developmental appropriateness of interventions. The Administration for Children and Families selected Family Connections as the only "Demonstrated Effective" program in its new publication on effective child abuse prevention programs (Caliber Associates, 2003).
2. The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, of the Children's Bureau funded a five year study being carried out by Principal Investigator Brett Drake and colleagues at Washington University (DHHS-ACF 90CA 159103) to examine the relationships between substantiation status and mental health services use to future recurrence of child maltreatment. The Substantiated and Unsubstantiated Cases: Patterns and Predictors of Recurrence, used a longitudinal research design to follow two sets of children, examining likelihood of recurrence of reports of maltreatment, placement and child fatality ( http://gwbweb.wustl.edu/projects/childabusepredictors/ )
3. As one of the initiatives supported through the NIH Child Abuse and Neglect Initiative, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is funding a K Award, that involves a longitudinal study to examine the close association between child neglect, poverty and welfare use. This study addresses why and how poverty and welfare use may matter in the etiology of different forms of neglect. This research will examine at-risk populations and look to identify any factors in welfare income level change and/or welfare use that may moderate child neglect. Results could impact welfare reform policies and perhaps mitigate occurrences of child neglect. (Shook, 2003)
4. D. Casey Family Programs has supported the development of a comprehensive assessment tool to assess the skills and abilities of adolescents in foster care to move toward independence. The Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment (ACLSA) (www.casey.org) now has collected data on adolescents in 23 states. It is a free assessment tool that several school systems are now beginning to use.
5. E. The Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (Tolman, 2003) is a scale created to assist in carrying out research with women who have been abused. Tolman who studies mental health, abuse and health issues of low-income single women and the traumatic effects of abusive behavior created it. (http://www.ssw.umich.edu/faculty/profile-rtolman.html). Tolman received NIMH funding to examine the prevalence and co-morbidity of psychiatric disorders, physical disabilities, and domestic violence among low-income single mothers, and to examine the relationship of these problems to unemployment and dependency on welfare.
6. F. Tandem Risk: Outcomes for Children of Teen Mothers, is a NIDA funded, five year study carried out by Lewayne Gilchrist ( University of Washington ), to examine the risk and protective factors experienced by a cohort of women who gave birth as teens and their children. The longitudinal study will contribute to new models of intergenerational transmission of both problematic outcomes and resilience in a sample presumed to be at high risk for negative social and developmental outcomes.
7. G. Domestic Violence and Urban Preschool Children is an NIMH funded exploratory study (Grant Number: 1R03MH061762-01) being carried out by Ellen Devoe at Columbia University to identify the different contexts in which urban preschool children (ages 3-5) witness domestic violence and will examine the relationship between domestic violence and preschool children's behavioral and emotional functioning and traumatic stress symptoms. This research will extend knowledge about young children's responses to domestic violence and will inform the development of age appropriate and empirically based intervention targeting the specific needs of preschool age children.
8. H. Child Neglect-Cross Sector Service Paths and Outcomes, is an NIMH funded study (Grant Number 5R01MH061733-03) by Melissa Jonson-Reid ( Washington University ). This longitudinal study examines the utilization of services by neglected children and their families, comparing families receiving AFDC and reported to child welfare agencies for abuse and/or neglect, and those families not reported to child welfare. It examines child and adolescent outcomes and the association between positive family outcomes in child welfare and income maintenance programs.
9. I. Sheryl Pimlott-Kubiak, Wayne State University, is undertaking a secondary analysis (supported by the National Institute of Justice and CDC) of the Violence Against Women dataset, to provide empirical evidence for 'situational' vulnerability to the physical and mental health sequelae associated with violence, based on the constellation of events that occur, regardless of gender. (personal communication 12.3. 2002).
10. J. Kenneth Corvo and his collaborators ( Syracuse University ) have examined a range of risk factors related to the physical and behavioral consequences of alcohol abuse and its connection to domestic violence as well as intergenerational transmission of domestic violence.
11. K. Reducing Perinatal Depression and Enhancing Parenting is a randomized controlled clinical study, supported by NIMH, conducted by Luis Zayas (Washington University http://gwbweb.wustl.edu/users/cmhsr/ ), to determine the extent to which psychosocial intervention combining cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression with child development information and social support reduces depressive symptomatology and risks of impairments in maternal interactions with infants among 300 low SES women during pregnancy and early postpartum receiving prenatal services at inner-city primary care clinics of a major medical center.

Research on Domestic Violence

1. Poco Smith ( Wayne State University ) is studying female perpetrated domestic violence in relation to attitudes, motivations and context. Since theories and models of treatment are often focused on the male perpetrator, it is important to examine female issues in order to develop appropriate treatment approaches.
2. Roni Berger and Ellen Rosenberg ( Adelphi University ) are studying the experience of abused divorced mothers with their children's law guardians.
3. The National Institute on Justice is supporting, Protection of Women: Health and Justice Outcomes Study, a 24 month longitudinal study, carried out under the leadership of Paula Nurius (University of Washington) to examine medical, violence, legal, social service, and intra- and interpersonal psychological functioning data to assess the relationship of protection orders to a range of health, mental health, and justice outcomes relative to intimate partner violence (IPV). "This research will apply a contextual coping analysis to battered women's experience of stressors, the mediating roles of coping capacity (intrapersonal, interpersonal, resources and sociocultural and environmental characteristics) between stressors and protective actions taken by her, and the importance of these factors in reducing subsequent assailant violence and improving the battered woman's mental health functioning and well being." ( http://depts.washington.edu/sswweb/resweb/researcher_index.html )

Research on Impact of Community Violence

1. Beth Rosenthal, York College, City University of New York received support from the National Institute for General Medical Services (NIGMS - #5S06GM008153-260014) at NIH for "Exposure to Chronic Community Violence and Its Results" to study the impact of exposure to community violence on urban adolescents from minority ethnic backgrounds, including examination of individual, family and community risk and protective factors.
2. Kathryn Collins, University of Pittsburgh is undertaking several funded studies to examine children's exposure to violence, trauma symptomatology, and community violence prevention interventions. Using an ecological perspective, she is exploring the barriers that limit children who are exposed to violence in their homes, schools and communities to access proper mental health care ( http://www.pitt.edu/~pittssw/faculty/collins.html ).

Research on Welfare Reform and Domestic Violence

• The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation supported several reports that looked at the impact of Domestic Violence on welfare reform, after the 1996 passage of the Personal Responsibility and Welfare Reform Act, because there were special provisions in the legislation that were intended to protect women on welfare who also were victims of domestic violence. Jeffrey Edleson, University of Minnesota has completed several relevant reports ( www.mincava.umn.edu ). In addition the NIMH funded Center on Poverty, Risk and Mental Health at the University of Michigan has looked closely at the characteristics of different populations of women and their outcomes.

Research Testing Model Interventions

• Gale Burford ( University of Vermont ) and Joan Pennell ( North Carolina State University ) tested the efficacy of family group conferencing (FGC) in Newfoundland and Labrador , Canada . The goal was to see if the FGC model, which gives people a say over their affairs while building communities of concern to enhance their safety, would stop child maltreatment and domestic violence in three culturally divergent sites: urban, rural and Inuit. ( http://social.chass.ncsu.edu/jpennell/research.htm )

Training of Social Work Researchers

• NIMH funded Interdisciplinary Training on Violence and Mental Health at the School of Social Work at the University of Michigan (Grant Number: 1T32MH020041-01A2). Daniel Saunders, serves as the Principal Investigator of this important effort to train more researchers to further understand the causes of violence and discover effective solutions. This training program will build upon the accomplishments since 1994 of the Interdisciplinary Research on Violence Across the Lifespan in bridging these divisions. The program is nationally recognized for its unique emphases on community-based research, testing the effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs, and cross-cultural and cross-national research. Through mentoring and coursework, the predoctoral trainees in the proposed training program will further develop their skills in these areas. (Adapted from CRISP)
• NIMH just refunded for an additional five years, Predoctoral Research Training Program for Prevention Research in Mental Health Problems and Behavioral Disorders at the University of Washington School of Social Work (Grant Number: 2T32MH020010-06). Paula Nurius serves as Principal Investigator of this effort, which supports the training of social work doctoral students to become prevention researchers.