Development of the MyPlan Safety Decision App with Friends of College Women in Abusive Dating Relationships

Dating violence (DV) from an intimate partner/expartner is common on college campuses, but young college women are far more likely to disclose DV to a peer than to seek formal services. Therefore, our team developed a prototype smartphone application (app) aimed at DV survivors’ peers. Through focus groups/interviews, 31 college students who self-identified as friends of DV survivors reviewed and provided feedback on the app's usefulness, understandability, appropriateness, and comprehensiveness. These findings support the acceptability and usefulness of an app to support peers of DV survivors on campus and thereby also strengthen the safety net for DV survivors.     

Intimate Partner Violence: Modifying an Internet-Based Safety Decision Aid to a New Zealand Context

Women experiencing intimate partner violence face complex decisions in navigating their safety. In a feasibility study, we examined the suitability of an intimate partner violence interactive online decision aid developed in the United States for its application in New Zealand, particularly with regard to cultural appropriateness. We conducted focus group sessions with women who experienced partner violence and focus group sessions with service providers. Women completed the U.S. online decision aid tool and provided feedback on the safety decision criteria, content, and design. Considering the findings from the focus group sessions the decision aid was modified. We reflect on the process of balancing women's stories with technical limitations and constraints of a replication study.     

Self-determined goals in a solution-focused batterer intervention program: Application for building client strengths and solutions

ABSTRACT

The present study explores the content and characteristics of self-determined goals developed by violent offenders as part of a court-mandated treatment program. Data were collected from 89 domestic violence offenders enrolled in a solution-focused batterer intervention program. The data were analyzed using content analysis, and the emergent themes included (1) emotional regulation, (2) personal growth, (3) improve family relationships, and (4) improve communication. The findings from this study offer preliminary insight into the type of goals, the usefulness and importance of developing goals, and how goals might be helpful in reinforcing the change process while in treatment.