Does batterers' treatment work? A meta-analytic review of domestic violence treatment.

A review of theories to predict the mental health effects of child sexual abuse suggests that existing models have not adequately defined stress and coping constructs and have not specified how those variables might interact with other environmental factors. This article outlines a transactional model that conceptualizes sexual abuse as a stressor consisting of a series of abuse events, abuse-related events, and disclosure-related events that each tend to increase risk for maladaptive outcomes. The model also proposes that cognitive appraisals and coping responses mediate the effects of these events, that developmental and environmental factors may moderate relationships between sexual abuse stressors and victim responses, and that victims' initial responses may effect subsequent levels of abuse-related stress. Empirical studies relevant to the major components of this model are reviewed, and the implications of these findings for future research are considered.

Stress, appraisal, and coping in child sexual abuse: a theoretical and empirical review.

The published literature regarding reactions of nonoffending parents to the sexual abuse of their child is reviewed. Research suggests that mothers generally believe their children's allegations, either totally or in part. Although the majority of mothers are supportive/protective, a substantial number are not. Even mothers who are generally supportive and protective often exhibit inconsistent and ambivalent responses. Studies examining factors that predict parental belief support, and protection have failed to yield consistent results. Few studies have examined nonoffending fathers' reactions following disclosure. Both nonoffending mothers and fathers often experience significant distress following their children's allegations. Parental support is consistently associated with the adjustment of sexually abused children. Few studies have examined interventions targeting nonoffending parents, although two series of well-designed studies suggest that cognitive-behavioral treatment that combines parent and child interventions may lead to better adjustment in both the child and the parent. Implications for mental health professionals are provided.

Reactions of Nonoffending Parents to the Sexual Abuse of their Child: A Review of the Literature

This study examines the results of forensic evaluations of 399 children between the ages of 8 and 15 who were seen at an urban evaluation center regarding allegations of sexual abuse. Data collected included demographic, family environment, and abuse variables, outcome of a multidisciplinary forensic evaluation, and psychological distress as measured by the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC Briere, in press). Children were grouped according to the outcome of the evaluation: nonabused, abused-disclosing, and abused-nondisclosing (composed of children for whom there was external evidence of abuse but who denied being abused). A number of variables predicted group membership, including subject race, sex, cognitive delays, mother's belief or disbelief in the allegation, and psychological distress. Sexually abused children who disclosed abuse reported particularly high levels of distress, abused but nondisclosing children reported the lowest levels, and nonabused children reported intermediate symptom levels. The data are discussed in terms of the role of denial, maternal support, and symptomatology in forensic evaluations.

Forensic sexual abuse evaluations of older children: Disclosures and symptomatology

A brief review of the research on husband violence

Factors influencing mothers' reactions to intrafamily sexual abuse

Characteristics of 321 children, their families, the clinical process they encountered, and their service usage were tested for relationships with dropout from intake, diagnostics, and treatment at a child guidance clinic. The results indicate clinicians need to be attentive to whom they interview in the intake phase, whom cases are assigned to, the duration of the diagnostic and treatment phases, and the length of time clients have to wait on waiting lists for services. These findings indicate the methods used for providing services to clients are the best predictors of dropout.

Dropout from intake, diagnostics, and treatment.

The social work student, field instructor, and field education staff create a series of complex relationships with multiple tasks, responsibilities, and liabilities. All too often, it is unclear how and in what capacity all of these individuals should interact. The authors highlight key issues in field education: professional boundaries, ethical responsibility, and legal liability for students, field instructors, and the school’s field staff. The authors also provide examples to illustrate potential liability in the context of each relationship involved in the field education experience. In addition, they make specific recommendations to help reduce the risk of making mistakes and to improve the quality of social work field education.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/41346397.pdf

Ethical and legal issues in field education: shared responsibility and risk

SUMMARY The understanding of spouse abuse has changed considerably in the last 30 years, shifting from a perspective based on individual psychopathology to that of a pervasive social problem. Current treatment solutions for stopping violence are limited to those that address resocializing the batterer. Several states often restrict the use of state funds for batterers' groups and forbid couples treatment as a primary treatment option in spite of the fact that most couples choose to remain in their relationships in the presence of repeated violence. This article argues for broadening options to include a specific type of couples treatment as a part of a coordinated community response to remediate domestic violence. Solution-focused therapy is described as an example of treatment of relationships that makes safety a priority and is not victim-blaming. It is suitable treatment both for couples who wish to stay together and those seeking a safe way to separate.

Multifaceted Approaches in Spouse Abuse Treatment

The current study takes a consumer perspective to examine the impact of legal and mental health systems on couples who are experiencing problems with domestic violence Unfortunately, their thoughts and wishes are rarely considered when planning for change in their lives The study asks couples what they think happens to cause abusive episodes, what happens to them when someone finds out about the abuse, and what their thoughts are about the interventions they receive The specific interventions in this study were a pro-arrest policy and solution-focused brief therapy

Elizabeth A. Sirles

Papers

Factors influencing mothers' reactions to intrafamily sexual abuse

Dropout from intake, diagnostics, and treatment.

Ethical and legal issues in field education: shared responsibility and risk

Multifaceted Approaches in Spouse Abuse Treatment

A consumer's perspective on domestic violence interventions