Assessment Of Violence Research Articles

A new experimental method assessing attitudes toward adolescent dating and sibling violence using observations of violent interactions

The present study provides experimental data comparing emerging adults’ attitudes toward dating and sibling violence in adolescence using a new methodology in which participants observe a violent interaction between adolescents. The reported amount of violence experienced in dating and sibling relationships among emerging adults is also compared. The participants included 148 emerging adults (111 females, 37 males) who were in the dating violence condition and 134 emerging adults (93 females, 41 males) in the sibling violence condition. The results provide initial psychometric data on a new measure to assess attitudes toward interpersonal violence in adolescence—the Attitudes toward Interpersonal Violence Assessment ( AIVA). Using this new observational measure in an experimental design, empirical evidence was found that (1) male initiated violence was less acceptable than female initiated violence, (2) females were less accepting of violence than males, (3) individuals were more complacent toward sibling violence than dating violence in adolescence, (4) males reported perpetrating more injuries than females, and (5) sibling violence was reported at higher frequencies than dating violence. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Antecedents for aggression and the function analytic approach to the assessment of aggression and violence in personality disordered patients within secure settings

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to explore the validity and clinical utility of a function analytic approach to the assessment of aggression and violence in patients with personality disorder. This paper begins with a review of the factors that are associated with aggression in personality disordered patients, and focuses in particular upon those patients whose aggressive and violent behaviour has been the reason for their admission to a secure facility, and who may continue to engage in aggression. Two approaches that may explain such aggression are discussed and evaluated: (1) the identification of personality traits that may influence aggression and (2) the differentiation of hostile and instrumental aggression. Some limitations with these two approaches are identified, and an argument is made for function analytic assessment methods. An overview of one form of functional assessment, the Assessment and Classification of Function method, which assists in the classification of differential forms of aggression, is provided. Finally, the clinical and treatment implications of the function analytic approach are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Quantification of Violence Scale: a Simple Method of Recording Significant Violence

Although there are many rating scales recording the incidence and intensity of violence there are none that are specifically concerned with the measurement and assessment of severe violence. To develop a scale sensitive to variation centred on severe violence, establish its normative values, test its feasibility, and assess its reliability and validity in different populations. The Quantification of Violence Scale (QOVS) was developed in two stages. First, a list of 30 commonly experienced violent episodes in clinical psychiatric practice were evaluated and tested by weighting each episode by severity. Second, a numerical scale used to record the severity of the episode according to its degree of planning, intent and consequences. Violent episodes in two clinical populations were compared using the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) and the preliminary version of the QOVS over periods up to 18 months, following which the numerical scale was developed. Good (0.60-0.74) to Excellent (> 0.75) test-retest and inter-rater reliability agreement was obtained with both forms of the scale (intra-class correlations of 0.75 and 0.69 respectively), and similar agreement with MOAS scores was reached (0.67) in clinical populations. The scale was quick and easy to use in practice, and a score defining severe violence (9 on the numerical scale and 16 on the matched scale) was determined. The QOVS, in its two forms, is a useful measure of recording significant violence in clinical and forensic practice.

Developing an ED nurses’ violence assessment tool

Developing an ED nurses’ violence assessment tool

Perceptions of Motives in Intimate Partner Violence: Expressive Versus Coercive Violence

This study examined perceptions of motives in the perpetration of intimate partner violence. Respondents (N = 401) of diverse professions read three vignettes and indicated their perception of the aggressor's motive (from 1 = Exclusively Expressive; 5 = Exclusively Coercive). Half of respondents read vignettes describing male-perpetrated violence against a female partner; the other half, female-perpetrated violence against a male partner. Overall, male-perpetrated aggression was seen as more coercive than female-perpetrated aggression, particularly by shelter workers and victim advocates. Further analyses revealed that men generally gave higher ratings than women, and that women rated female-perpetrated aggression as less coercive than male-perpetrated aggression. In contrast, men did not differ in their ratings of male versus female perpetration. Implications are discussed with respect to the assessment and treatment of partner violence.

A Review of Research on Violence in Same-Gender Couples

This paper reviews current research that has primarily focused on domestic violence among same-gender couples. Several key issues pertaining to the identification, assessment, and treatment of domestic violence among same-gender couples are examined and outlined to assist clinicians in effectively working with gay and lesbian clients who may be experiencing domestic violence. Resource information is included to help mental health clinicians recognize specific stressors of marginalized individuals as well as assessment and treatment recommendations are made.

Systematic review of the perceptions and experiences of accessing health services by adult victims of domestic violence

This systematic review synthesizes evidence on the perceptions and experiences of adult victims of domestic violence when accessing healthcare services. The review was concerned with disclosure of domestic violence by adult victims when accessing health services, the responses of healthcare professionals to these victims, victims' perceived barriers to support, and the appropriateness of support and referrals. These aims required the review to focus on studies using in-depth qualitative methods to explore victims' perceptions and experiences. A comprehensive systematic search of 12 databases was carried out in June/July 2005. Application of the review protocol and inclusion criteria resulted in 10 studies (conducted in the UK, USA and Australia) being considered eligible for the review. Data were extracted from these studies and a quality assessment completed. Thematic analysis was carried out to enable the identification of recurrent themes within the included studies. Findings indicate that victims of domestic violence experience difficulties when accessing healthcare services. Victims perceive that these difficulties can be attributed to inappropriate responses by healthcare professionals, discomfort with the healthcare environment, perceived barriers to disclosing domestic violence, and a lack of confidence in the outcomes of disclosure to a health professional. The methodological quality of included studies was variable, but no papers were rejected based on quality issues. These results can contribute to and inform a comprehensive assessment of the experiences of adult victims of domestic violence when accessing healthcare services. The health service is in a unique position to contribute towards the assessment and identification of domestic violence and to provide access to appropriate support. The messages of this study are important for policy-makers and practitioners.

The relationships among sexually transmitted infection, depression, and lifetime violence in a sample of predominantly African American women

This study was a secondary analysis of the relationships among lifetime experiences of violence, depressive symptoms, substance use, safer sex behaviors use, and past-year sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment among a sample of 445 low income, primarily African American women (257 HIV-, 188 HIV+) reporting a male intimate partner within the past year. Twenty-one percent of HIV- and 33% of HIV+ women reported past-year STI treatment. Violence victimization increased women's odds of past-year STI treatment, controlling for HIV status and age. Depressive symptoms increased, and use of safer sex behaviors decreased, women's odds of past-year STI treatment. Results suggest that positive assessment for violence and/or depression indicates need for STI screening.

STAMP: components of observable behaviour that indicate potential for patient violence in emergency departments

This paper is the report of a study to explicate the components of observable behaviour that indicate a potential for violence in patients, their family and friends when presenting at an emergency department. Violence towards nurses is a contemporary, multifaceted problem for the healthcare workforce globally. International literature identifies emergency departments as having high levels of violence. A mixed method case study design was adopted, and data were collected by means of 290 hours of participant observation, 16 semi-structured interviews and 13 informal field interviews over a 5-month period in 2005. Thematic analysis of textual data was undertaken using NVivo2. Frequency counts were developed from the numerical data. Five distinctive elements of observable behaviour indicating potential for violence in patients, their families and friends were identified. These elements can be conceptualized as a potential nursing violence assessment framework and described through the acronym STAMP: Staring and eye contact, Tone and volume of voice, Anxiety, Mumbling and Pacing. Staring and eye contact, Tone and volume of voice, Anxiety, Mumbling and Pacing provides a useful, practical nursing violence assessment framework to assist nurses to quickly identify patients, families and friends who have a potential for violence.

Abused Women Disclose Partner Interference with Health Care: An Unrecognized Form of Battering

Some providers observe that partners interfere with health care visits or treatment. There are no systematic investigations of the prevalence of or circumstances surrounding partner interference with health care and intimate partner violence (IPV). To determine whether abused women report partner interference with their health care and to describe the co-occurring risk factors and health impact of such interference. A written survey of women attending health care clinics across 5 different medical departments (e.g., emergency, primary care, obstetrics-gynecology, pediatrics, addiction recovery) housed in 8 hospital and clinic sites in Metropolitan Boston. Women outpatients (N = 2,027) ranging in age, 59% White, 38% married, 22.6% born outside the U.S. Questions from the Severity of Violence and Abuse Assessment Scale, the SF-36, and questions about demographics. One in 20 women outpatients (4.6%) reported that their partners prevented them from seeking or interfered with health care. Among women with past-year physical abuse (n = 276), 17% reported that a partner interfered with their health care in contrast to 2% of women without abuse (adjusted odds ratios [OR] = 7.5). Further adjusted risk markers for partner interference included having less than a high school education (OR = 3.2), being born outside the U.S. (OR = 2.0), and visiting the clinic with a man attending (OR = 1.9). Partner interference raised the odds of women having poor health (OR = 1.8). Partner interference with health care is a significant problem for women who are in abusive relationships and poses an obstacle to health care. Health care providers should be alert to signs of patient noncompliance or missed appointments as stemming from abusive partner control tactics.

Assessing Readiness to Change among Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: Analysis of Two Self-report Measures

Recent interest in the construct of motivation to change among male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) has led to development of two self-report measures of this construct: the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment for Domestic Violence (URICA-DV; Levesque et al. 2000) and the Safe at Home Inventory (SAH; Begun et al. 2003). We examined the internal structure of these instruments using confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses in a sample of 199 male IPV perpetrators waiting to begin court-mandated batterer intervention programs. Results indicated that the scales had adequate internal consistency. However, using confirmatory factor analyses, the hypothesized structural models of each instrument fit the data poorly. Subsequent models suggested by a series of exploratory factor analyses failed to improve model fit substantially for both scales. For the URICA-DV, a 3-factor model including items from the Precontemplation, Contemplation, and Action subscales fit the data adequately. No acceptable model fit could be found for the SAH. Intercorrelations among similar subscales across the two inventories suggested only a modest degree of intercorrelation (r’s = 0.16–0.52), and a factor structure more dependent on scale of origin than item latent content, suggesting that the scales assess different facets of the readiness to change construct. These results suggest that before the stages of change construct can be fully applied to the IPV area, more research and evaluation are needed on how to accurately assess abuser readiness to change.

Best Practices: Utilizing Risk-of-Violence Findings for Continuity of Care

Best Practices: Utilizing Risk-of-Violence Findings for Continuity of Care

Witnessing Intimate Partner Violence as a Child Does Not Increase the Likelihood of Becoming an Adult Intimate Partner Violence Victim

To determine whether adults who witnessed intimate partner violence (IPV) as children would have an increased rate of being victims of ongoing IPV, as measured by the Ongoing Violence Assessment Tool (OVAT), compared with adult controls who did not witness IPV as children. The authors also sought to determine whether there were differences in demographics in these two groups. This was a cross sectional cohort study of patients presenting to a high-volume academic emergency department. Emergency department patients presenting from November 16, 2005, to January 5, 2006, during 46 randomized four-hour shifts were included. A confidential computer touch-screen data entry program was used for collecting demographic data, including witnessing IPV as a child and the OVAT. Main outcome measures were witnessing IPV as a child, ongoing IPV, and associated demographics. Assuming a prevalence of IPV of 20% and a clinically significant difference of 20% between adults who witnessed IPV as children and adult controls who did not witness IPV as children, the study was powered at 80%, with 215 subjects included. A total of 280 subjects were entered; 256 had complete data sets. Forty-nine percent of subjects were male, 45% were Hispanic, 72 (28%) were adults who witnessed IPV as children, and 184 (72%) were adult controls who did not witness IPV as children. Sixty-three (23.5%) were positive for ongoing IPV. There was no correlation of adults who witnessed IPV as children with the presence of ongoing IPV, as determined by univariate and bivariate analysis. Twenty-three of 72 (32%) of the adults who witnessed IPV as children, and 39 of 184 (21%) of the adult controls who did not witness IPV as children, were positive for IPV (difference, 11%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -2% to 23%). Significant correlations with having witnessed IPV as a child included age younger than 40 years (odds ratio [OR], 4.2; 95% CI = 1.7 to 9.1), income less than $20,000/year (OR, 5.1; 95% CI = 1.6 to 12.5), and abuse as a child (OR, 9.1; 95% CI = 4.2 to 19.6). Other demographics were not significantly correlated with having witnessed IPV as a child. Adults who witnessed IPV as children were more likely to have a lower income, be younger, and have been abused as a child, but not more likely to be positive for ongoing IPV, when compared with patients who had not witnessed IPV.

Intimate Partner Physical and Sexual Assault & Child Behavior Problems

To describe the type and extent of child behavior problems reported by mothers who report intimate partner physical and sexual assault compared to mothers who reported physical assault only. A descriptive analysis of child behaviors, as measured on the Child Behavior Checklist, for 109 children, aged 18 months to 18 years, who were exposed to intimate partner physical and sexual assault. Multivariate analysis of variance and analysis of variance were used to determine whether children from physically and sexually assaulted mothers differed significantly in scores from children of physically assaulted only mothers. Scores for youth (n = 21) 12 through 18 years of age of physically and sexually assaulted mothers were significantly higher (M = 61.5, SD = 2.4; p = .025) than scores of youth (n = 10) of physically assaulted only mothers (M = 50.8, SD = 3.5) and higher than scores of clinically referred youth in a treatment sample. Child behavior was associated with the type of violence experienced by the mother; older children were at the highest risk for behavior disorders, especially behaviors of depression and anxiety. Intimate partner violence assessment of mothers during child health visits is recommended with safety planning and guided referral to community counseling, legal, shelter, and health agencies, along with information on the child behavior problems associated with domestic violence.

Assessment of intimate partner violence by child welfare services

Assessment of intimate partner violence by child welfare services

WITNESSING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE (IPV) AS A CHILD DOES NOT INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF BECOMING AN ADULT AN ADULT VICTIM OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.

Objective Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration has been associated with alcohol, drug use, and witnessing IPV as a child. Associations between being a child witness and being an IPV victim are not well established. The hypothesis of the present study was that child witnesses were different from non-child witnesses in race, education, gender, insurance, children in the home, marital status, income, age, and IPV positivity. Methods A confidential touch screen data entry program was used to collect demographic data. The Ongoing Violence Assessment Tool (OVAT), a validated screen of ongoing IPV, was used during a prospective study that used randomized 4-hour shifts in an academic ED. Randomized 4-hour shifts were determined via a random numbers table. Subjects were given an informational consent form before participation, following IRB procedure. Trained research associates approached potential subjects during shifts to enter the study. The power of the study was 80% to show a difference of 20% between groups, with a total of 260 patients entered and 20% positive for IPV. Results 280 subjects were entered in the study. Subjects were 50% male; 46% were Hispanic and 36% were Caucasian. Seventy-two (26%) subjects were child witnesses and 208 (74%) were non-child witnesses. Overall, 63 (23.5%) were positive for ongoing IPV. By univariate analysis there was no significant correlation of child witnessing of IPV with race, education, gender, insurance, children in the home, or marital status. Child witnesses were also not more likely to drink, use drugs, or have spouses who drink or use drugs. Correlation of child witnessing with IPV positivity (p = .07) was borderline in that 23 of 74 (32%) of the child witnesses and 39 of 184 (21%) of the non-child witnesses were positive for IPV. Significant correlations with child witnessing included age less than 40 (OR 3.9; 95% CI 1.7-8.9), income less than $20,000/year (OR 5.2; 95% CI 1.8-14.7), and abuse as a child (OR 9.8; 95% CI 4.6-20.7). Conclusions Child witnesses were more likely to have lower income, be younger, and have been abused as a child. They were not more likely to be positive for ongoing IPV, although there was a trend in that direction.

WITNESSING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE (IPV) AS A CHILD DOES NOT INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF BECOMING AN ADULT IPV VICTIM.

Objective Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration has been associated with alcohol, drug use, and witnessing IPV as a child. Associations between being a child witness and being an IPV victim are not well established. The hypothesis of the present study was that child witnesses were different from non-child witnesses in race, education, gender, insurance, children in the home, marital status, income, age, and IPV positivity. Methods A confidential touch screen data entry program was used to collect demographic data. The Ongoing Violence Assessment Tool (OVAT), a validated screen of ongoing IPV, was used during a prospective study that used randomized 4-hour shifts in an academic ED. Randomized 4-hour shifts were determined via a random numbers table. Subjects were given an informational consent form before participation, following IRB procedure. Trained research associates approached potential subjects during shifts to enter the study. The power of the study was 80% to show a difference of 20% between groups, with a total of 260 patients entered and 20% positive for IPV. Results 280 subjects were entered in the study. Subjects were 50% male; 46% were Hispanic and 36% were Caucasian. Seventy-two (26%) subjects were child witnesses and 208 (74%) were non-child witnesses. Overall, 63 (23.5%) were positive for ongoing IPV. By univariate analysis there was no significant correlation of child witnessing of IPV with race, education, gender, insurance, children in the home, or marital status. Child witnesses were also not more likely to drink, use drugs, or have spouses who drink or use drugs. Correlation of child witnessing with IPV positivity (p = .07) was borderline in that 23 of 74 (32%) of the child witnesses and 39 of 184 (21%) of the non-child witnesses were positive for IPV. Significant correlations with child witnessing included age less than 40 (OR 3.9; 95% CI 1.7-8.9), income less than $20,000/year (OR 5.2; 95% CI 1.8-14.7), and abuse as a child (OR 9.8; 95% CI 4.6-20.7). Conclusions Child witnesses were more likely to have lower income, be younger, and have been abused as a child. They were not more likely to be positive for ongoing IPV, although there was a trend in that direction.

Assessment of intimate partner violence by child welfare services

The purpose of this study was to describe policy and practice with respect to the assessment of intimate partner violence in a sample of child welfare agencies located throughout the United States and to examine the relationship of contextual characteristics and assessment practices. Telephone interviews were conducted with key informants from child welfare agencies. A snowball interviewing strategy was used to identify the best informant in each agency. Almost all of the participating agencies conducted some assessment of intimate partner violence, with most reporting that the majority of screening or assessment occurred during investigation of referrals. However, only 43.1% reported that all of the families referred to the child welfare system were assessed for intimate partner violence, and 52.8% indicated they had a written policy pertaining to screening and assessment of the problem. There was little relationship between county or agency characteristics and assessment practices. Additional research is needed to determine factors that influence assessment practices and to identify strategies to support and extend efforts to identify intimate partner violence and provide appropriate services for families in the child welfare system.

Actuarial Models for Assessing Prison Violence Risk

An investigation and extension of the Risk Assessment Scale for Prison (RASP-Potosi), an actuarially derived scale for the assessment of prison violence, was undertaken through a retrospective review of the disciplinary records of the first 12 months of confinement of a cohort of inmates entering the Florida Department of Corrections in 2002 and remaining throughout 2003 (N=14,088). A near replication of the RASP-Potosi and additional analyses based on other weighted logistic regression models were performed on an inmate subsample for whom all information categories were available (n=13,341). Younger age and shorter sentences were associated with increased violent misconduct. Older age, drug conviction, and higher educational attainment were associated with reduced violent misconduct. Regardless of whether the original RASP-Potosi or its progeny were utilized, or the custody level of the inmate sample, the models were modestly successful in predicting prison violence, with the area under the curve (AUC) ranging from .645 to .707.

Assessment of Interpersonal Aggression and Violence

Violence and interpersonal aggression are considered major public health problems throughout the world. Yet there is considerable variability in how these terms are operationalized, measured, and studied in the social sciences, which can lead to ambiguity and confusion in the field. In this introduction to the special issue, the authors highlight some of the difficulties inherent in studying interpersonal aggression and violence and briefly review the heterogeneous nature of the research conducted in this area. The authors conclude with a summary of the key findings of the articles that appear in this special issue.