Elizabeth M. Parker

Neighborhood factors and dating violence among youth: a systematic review

CONTEXT The purpose of this review is to summarize the empirical research on neighborhood-level factors and dating violence among adolescents and emerging adults to guide future research and practice. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION In 2015, a total of 20 articles were identified through a search of the literature using PubMed. Eligible articles included those that (1) had been published in a peer-reviewed journal since 2005; (2) reported a measure of association between at least one neighborhood-level factor and dating violence; and (3) had a study population of youth aged <26 years. We abstracted information about the studies, including measurement of dating violence and neighborhood factors, and measures of effect. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Results were summarized into three categories based on the aspect of neighborhood that was the focus of the work: demographic and structural characteristics (n=11); neighborhood disorder (n=12); and social disorganization (n=8). There was some evidence to suggest that neighborhood disadvantage is associated with dating violence, but very little evidence to suggest that residence characteristics (e.g., racial heterogeneity) are associated with dating violence. Results do suggest that perceived neighborhood disorder is associated with physical dating violence perpetration, but do not suggest that it is associated with physical dating violence victimization. Social control and community connectedness are both associated with dating violence, but findings on collective efficacy are mixed. CONCLUSIONS Existing research suggests that neighborhood factors may be associated with dating violence. However, there is a limited body of research on the neighborhood context of dating violence, and more rigorous research is needed.

Intimate Partner Violence and Safety Strategy Use: Frequency of Use and Perceived Effectiveness

BACKGROUND There is a need for effective interventions that enable women in current or past violent relationships to reduce their risk of revictimization. One approach that can be taken is safety planning, where advocates and women talk about strategies that theoretically increase the womens safety. Although this process is common, there is little empirical research focusing on the effectiveness of the safety strategies. METHODS This systematic review examines the frequency with which women report using safety strategies and their effectiveness at reducing risk of revictimization. RESULTS Nine studies reviewed confirm prior research, namely, that women in intimate partner violence situations are using a variety of safety strategies at varying frequencies to protect themselves. Results from two studies looking at whether use of safety strategies reduces a womans risk of future violence provide modest support for a greater risk of revictimization among women who used resistance strategies. Seven studies examined the perceived helpfulness of the strategies. Women who involved other individuals reported that interaction as helpful. There are several limitations to this review, including the focus on perceived helpfulness. What is reported here is not an objective assessment of safety strategy effectiveness. We were also not able to determine whether strategies women reported using were actually discussed during safety planning. CONCLUSION There is a dearth of literature focusing on the effectiveness of safety strategies. Women and advocates talk about safety strategies we know very little about. Additional research examining the consequences of using safety strategies is needed because what is known now is preliminary and limited.

Exploring the Link Between Alcohol and Marijuana Use and Teen Dating Violence Victimization Among High School Students: The Influence of School Context

Background. Adolescence is a developmental period when dating behavior is first initiated and when the risk of abuse by or against a dating partner begins to emerge. It is also one in which experimentation with alcohol and illicit substances typically begins. The current study examined the association between recent alcohol use and recent marijuana use and the experience of physical and verbal teen dating violence (TDV) victimization while considering the potential influence of school contextual variables. Method. Data came from 27,758 high school students attending 58 Maryland public high schools. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to identify student- and school-level predictors associated with TDV. Results. Results indicated that approximately 11% of students reported experiencing physical TDV and 11% of students reported experiencing verbal TDV over the past year. In addition, 33% of students reported recent alcohol use and 21% reported recent marijuana use. Hierarchical linear modeling results revealed that students who reported frequent recent alcohol or recent marijuana use were at increased odds of experiencing physical (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]alcohol = 2.80, p < .001; AORmarijuana = 2.03, p < .001) or verbal TDV (AORalcohol = 2.63, p < .001; AORmarijuana = 2.20, p < .001) victimization compared to students who reported little or no alcohol or marijuana use. School support was a protective factor for both physical TDV (AOR = 0.74, p < .001) and verbal TDV (AOR = 0.76, p < .001) victimization. Conclusions. Findings suggested that prevention efforts to address alcohol and marijuana use may have an effect on TDV victimization. Results also highlight the potential utility of enhancing student perceptions of school support as an approach for reducing TDV victimization.

Intimate partner violence and patterns of safety strategy use among women seeking temporary protective orders: a latent class analysis

This study examined use of safety strategies, experience of violence, and perception of danger from intimate partner violence (IPV) among 197 women seeking temporary protective orders against their abusive partners/ex-partners. Latent class analysis was used to group women into classes based on their use of safety strategies. Five classes of strategy use were identified: two high-activity classes, two moderately active classes, and one low-activity class. More severe abuse, increased perception of danger, and unemployment were associated with being in the higher activity classes. More effective interventions and outreach tools are needed to help women in IPV situations.

Discrepant Perspectives on Conflict Situations Among Urban Parent–Adolescent Dyads

Parents influence urban youths’ violence-related behaviors. To provide effective guidance, parents should understand how youth perceive conflict, yet little empirical research has been conducted regarding parent and youth perceptions of conflict. The aims of this article are to (a) report on the nature of discrepancies in attribution of fault, (b) present qualitative data about the varying rationales for fault attribution, and (c) use quantitative data to identify correlates of discrepancy including report of attitudes toward violence, parental communication, and parents’ messages about retaliatory violence. Interviews were conducted with 101 parent/adolescent dyads. The study population consisted of African American female caretakers (n = 92; that is, mothers, grandmothers, aunts) and fathers (n = 9) and their early adolescents (mean age = 13.6). A total of 53 dyads were discrepant in identifying instigators in one or both videos. When discrepancy was present, the parent was more likely to identify the actor who reacted to the situation as at fault. In the logistic regression models, parental attitudes about retaliatory violence were a significant correlate of discrepancy, such that as parent attitudes supporting retaliatory violence increased, the odds of discrepancy decreased. The results suggest that parents and adolescents do not always view conflict situations similarly, which may inhibit effective parent–child communication, parental advice, and discipline. Individuals developing and implementing family-based violence prevention interventions need to be cognizant of the complexity of fault attribution and design strategies to promote conversations around attribution of fault and effective conflict management.

Identifying Psychosocial Problems Among Children and Youth in the Child Welfare System Using the PSC-17: Exploring Convergent and Discriminant Validity with Multiple Informants

Youth who enter foster care are at risk of mental health need, but questions arise as to the validity of their self-reported symptomatology. This study examines the screening validity of the youth-report version of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-17) in a child welfare population. Data come from 2389 youth who completed a version of the PSC-17 adapted for youth report, and their biological and foster parents who completed the parent-report version. Youth also completed a shortened version of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED). Convergent and discriminant validity of the PSC-17 was assessed using multi-trait multi-method matrices. The PSC-17’s internalizing subscale was strongly correlated, attention subscale was moderately correlated, and externalizing subscale was weakly correlated with the SCARED’s anxiety and PTSD subscales. Comparing youth and foster parent scores, the PSC-17 had moderate convergent validity and weak/fair discriminant validity. Comparing youth, foster parent, and biological parent scores, the PSC-17 had moderate convergent validity and weak/fair discriminant validity. The current study provides some support for the validity of the PSC-17 for the population of youth in foster care.

Teen Dating Violence Victimization Among High School Students: A Multilevel Analysis of School-Level Risk Factors†

BACKGROUND Much etiologic research has focused on individual-level risk factors for teen dating violence (TDV); therefore, less is known about school-level and neighborhood-level risk factors. We examined the association between alcohol outlet density around high schools and TDV victimization and the association between markers of physical disorder around schools and TDV victimization among adolescents. METHODS Data come from high school students participating in the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Initiative. Alcohol outlet density was calculated using walking distance buffers around schools. An observational tool was used to assess indicators of physical disorder on school property (eg, alcohol and drug paraphernalia). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to identify student- and school-level predictors associated with TDV victimization. RESULTS Overall, 11% of students reported experiencing physical TDV and 11% reported experiencing psychological TDV over the past year. Recent alcohol use was a risk factor for TDV victimization for both sexes, whereas feeling safe at school was protective against TDV victimization for both sexes. Greater alcohol outlet density was associated with decreased TDV victimization for males, however, it was nonsignificant for females. Physical disorder around schools was not associated with TDV victimization for either sex. CONCLUSION Although the school-level predictors were not associated with TDV victimization, alcohol use and perceptions of safety at school were significantly associated with TDV victimization. Prevention efforts to address alcohol use may affect TDV victimization.

Are Neighborhood Factors Associated with Teen Dating Violence? Let Us Examine the Evidence

Abstract Teen dating violence (TDV) affects a sizable number of youth, increasing the risk for several negative physical and mental health outcomes across the lifespan. Much of the research on TDV has focused on individual-level factors; however recently, there has been a shift and researchers have started to focus on the neighborhood environment and the role it may play in influencing TDV. In this chapter, we draw from the comparatively robust body of literature focusing on adult partner violence to illustrate the potential for certain neighborhood characteristics to affect differences in TDV. The literature on neighborhood factors and TDV is in its infancy, but it is expected to grow as researchers from a range of fields including public health, criminology, sociology, and clinical medicine continue to explore it. Currently, there is limited evidence associating neighborhood factors to TDV, suggesting that more rigorous research is needed to understand these relationships.

Associations Between Adolescents’ Perceptions of Alcohol Norms and Alcohol Behaviors: Incorporating Within-school Variability

ABSTRACT Background: Social norm interventions have been implemented in schools to address concerns of alcohol use among high school students; however, research in this area has not incorporated measures of variability that may better reflect the complexity of social influences. Purpose: To examine the association between perceived alcohol norms, the student- and school-level variability of those norms, and alcohol use behaviors among high school students. Methods: A sample of 25 824 students from 58 high schools completed an online self-report survey. Hierarchical linear regression models were fit to examine the relationships between student- and school-level alcohol norm predictors, within-school variability, and current alcohol use and binge drinking. Results: Individual- and school-level norms were predictive of both current alcohol use and binge drinking. Whereas measures of norm diversity at the school level were not predictive of alcohol use behaviors, individual norm proximity was predictive of both current alcohol use and binge drinking. Discussion: The study findings were consistent with prior research and support assertions that variability measures should be incorporated into social norms research approaches. Translation to Health Education Practice: The findings support the incorporation of student-level variability measures, which could assist in identifying students who are susceptible to peer influence.

Safety strategy use among women seeking temporary protective orders: the relationship between violence experienced, strategy effectiveness, and risk perception

This study examined safety strategy use in relation to intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization, perceived effectiveness of the strategies, and perception of danger from IPV among 197 abused women. More than 90% of the women used 1 or more strategies in the 6 months prior to their interview. Severe physical and sexual violence were significantly associated with an increased use of placating strategies. Perceived effectiveness of the strategies was high yet not associated with strategy use. Increased perception of danger from IPV was significantly associated with increased use of safety planning strategies. The findings suggest that safety planning should be tailored to fit women’s specific contexts. Safety planning discussions should focus on strategies that reduce women’s risk of continued violence and build on women’s strengths.