Parenting in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence: Understanding Mothers' Perceptions.

Despite existing research, which has focused on the impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) on mothers and their children, there is a paucity of research specifically examining mothers' perceptions of parenting in the context of IPV. This qualitative study explored parenting capacity and meaning making among a purposive sample of 16 female survivors of IPV who experienced IPV during both childhood and adulthood and had at least one school-aged child. Participants completed semi-structured in-person interviews during which they were asked a series of questions about their experiences with IPV and their parenting practices. Analysis revealed that parenting capacity could be categorized by two capacities: relational and operational. Based on these descriptive accounts of the experiences of parenting in contexts of IPV, a preliminary model suggesting a Dual-Part Model of Parenting (relational and operational capacity) is presented to aid in understanding the complexity and nuance of how parenting capacity may be impacted by IPV exposure throughout the lifespan. Strengths-based approaches to supporting survivors in parenting are explored, and future implications for strengths-based approaches to clinical practice with IPV survivors as well as improved research practices and social policies that emphasize an intersectionality approach are discussed.

Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence in the Time of COVID -19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families in a variety of ways with much being written on the potential impact of sheltering in place and quarantining on intimate partner violence and parent-to-child abuse. One area that has received scant attention is that of physical and emotional sibling violence. While physical and emotional sibling violence is a predominant form of family violence, discussion of violence between siblings in the time of COVID-19 has not received the attention it warrants. This article examines the potential for family stress to place siblings at risk for engaging in physical and emotional sibling violence and how this is exacerbated in the time of COVID-19. Also discussed is the the connection between physical and emotional sibling violence and other forms of family violence including intimate partner violence and parent-to-child abuse and neglect which underwrites the need to place physical and emotional sibling violence on the radar of practitioners, policy makers, and researchers. Finally, implications for practice, policy, and research on physical and emotional sibling violence in the context of COVID-19 are discussed.

Engagement studios: students and communities working to address the determinants of health.

BACKGROUND: This article presents an innovative model for interprofessional community-oriented learning. The Engagement Studios model involves a partnership between community organizations and students as equal partners in conversations and activities aimed at addressing issues of common concern as they relate to the social determinants of health. METHODS: Interprofessional teams of students from health and non-health disciplines work with community partners to identify priority community issues and explore potential solutions. RESULTS: The student teams work with a particular community organization, combining their unique disciplinary perspectives to develop a project proposal, which addresses the community issues that have been jointly identified. Approved proposals receive a small budget to implement the project. DISCUSSION: In this paper we present the Engagement Studios model and share lessons learned from a pilot of this educational initiative.

Pattern of bacterial colonization in a new neonatal intensive care unit and its association with infections in infants.

BACKGROUND: There is paucity of information on the pattern of bacterial colonization of a new neonatal intensive care unit. OBJECTIVE: To study the pattern of bacterial colonization on the environmental surfaces in a new neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and correlate it with infections in the infants. METHODS: Environmental cultures from the faucets and computer keyboards in the NICU were obtained prospectively every 2 weeks for 1 year. Positive blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and respiratory cultures from the infants in the NICU were also obtained. RESULTS: A total of 175 swab cultures was collected, which were sterile for initial 6-week period. Subsequently, 31 cultures grew microbes: 26 (83.8%) from the faucets and 5 (16.2%) from the computers keyboard (P < .001). Of the 48 positive blood cultures in NICU patients, 6 (12.5%) matched the organism growing from the surveillance sites, but the correlation was not significant (P = .076). None of the 31 positive respiratory cultures and 1 positive cerebrospinal fluid culture correlated to the organisms grown from the NICU environment. CONCLUSION: The environment was colonized after an initial period of sterile cultures in a new NICU. Once colonized, they can persist, increasing the risk of developing resistance to antibiotics. They did not correlate with the positive cultures from the infants admitted to the NICU during the study period.

Characteristics of women who do and do not receive onsite shelter services from domestic violence programs.

Shelter services are an essential means of providing help to women who are victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), but not all victims receive shelter. This article reports the results of a secondary analysis of statewide data from women using IPV services, comparing victims who did and did not obtain shelter. The demographic characteristics, abuse experiences, and service patterns of these survivors are examined. A model predicting characteristics associated with the likelihood of shelter receipt indicates that women who obtain shelter are more vulnerable and obtain more services than women who do not obtain shelter. The implications of these results are discussed.

A Protection Motivation Theory application to date rape education.

Date rape risk communication is a key component of education-based Date Rape Prevention Programs, common across colleges. In such programs, risk assessment in date rape is approached cautiously in order to avoid a tone of "victim blaming." Since it is important in the assessment of any risk to understand the surrounding social context of the risky situation and the individual's unique relationship with that social context, this study examines Protection Motivation Theory as it applies to handling the risk of date rape without victim blaming. The paper links individual personality and social contexts with risk communication. The study sample comprised 367 undergraduate women enrolled in a large Southern Public University. The study examines the relationships between dating activity, social competency, and type of information provided with the dependents variables of date rape related protection behavior (intent), belief, and knowledge. A factorial multiple analysis of covariance analysis found that the dependent variables had a significant relationship with aspects of social competency and dating activity. The exposure to varying information about date rape was not significantly related to the dependent variables of date rape-related protection behavior (intent), belief, and knowledge. The identification of social competency and dating activity status as protective factors in this study makes a significant contribution to the practice and research efforts in date rape education.

Shelter and service receipt for victims of domestic violence in Illinois.

There is little empirical research about the services victims of violence in shelters receive and when, yet such information would increase our understanding of their unmet service needs especially after they leave shelter. This article utilizes data from a randomly selected sample of individuals in shelter to examine their service trajectories. Results indicate that most individuals receive service while in shelter. Individual counseling is likely to continue after shelter, but group counseling, employment, and educational assistance tend to end once shelter is over. The policy and practice implications of these results are discussed.

Service patterns of adult survivors of childhood versus adult sexual assault/abuse.

This analysis compared the characteristics and service patterns of adult survivors of childhood sexual assault/abuse and adult survivors of adult sexual assault/abuse. Utilizing data from sexual assault crisis centers serving survivors in a Midwestern state over a six year period and controlling for revictimization, we describe and compare the demographic characteristics, referral sources, and service patterns of the two groups. Results indicate that paths into service differ for the two groups. Furthermore, adult survivors of childhood sexual assault/abuse obtain significantly more hours of service and service contacts on average than adult survivors of adult sexual assault/abuse. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Double jeopardy: a comparison of persons with and without disabilities who were victims of sexual abuse and/or sexual assault.

This article compares individuals with and without disabilities who also were victims of sexual abuse and/or sexual assault. Data are from all state-funded agencies in a midwestern state providing services to victims. Matching the sample to control for demographic differences, the findings indicate that individuals with disabilities who sought services were significantly more likely to be victims of adult sexual abuse and/or assault compared to those without disabilities. They were significantly more likely to be referred by a social service program and significantly less likely to be self-referred. In addition, significant differences existed between the groups related to service receipt indicating that victims with disabilities received more services. The implications of these findings for policy and practice are discussed.

Domestic violence across race and ethnicity: implications for social work practice and policy.

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.

The individual and beyond: a socio-rational choice model of service participation among homeless adults with substance abuse problems.

While substance user service programs can help homeless adults solve their substance use and housing problems, relatively few needy individuals use and complete these programs. The lack of participation is poorly explained by typical empirical studies, most of which consider the role in service participation of various personal traits and client problems. The current article instead seeks to explain service participation through the application of an alternative, "socio-rational choice" model. This model has three premises: Clients weigh the costs and benefits of participating in services against alternative uses of their time and resources. The clients' weighing procedures reflect their personal situations and perceptions of the treatment environment. The perceptions of their personal situations and perceptions of the treatment environment are affected by the manner in which clients react to representatives of service systems, members of their social network including both housed and homeless persons, and other individuals. Secondary evidence supports many of the model's hypotheses and generally suggests that homeless clients may be heavily affected by their experiences with individuals and systems with which they come into contact.