Hannah M. Clark

Ethnoracial Variation in Women’s Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence

While intimate partner violence (IPV) has been acknowledged as a national public health concern, little research exists that directly assesses differential exposure to IPV for distinct ethnoracial groups. The current study compared the rate, severity, and type of IPV exposure across samples of White, African American, and Latina women (N = 180). Participants reported rates of exposure to violence on measures of physical assault, psychological aggression, injury, and sexual coercion; each subscale contained items denoting both mild and severe levels of violence. Multiple regression analyses indicated that women’s frequency of exposure to sexual coercion, and severe and injurious violence significantly differed based on participants’ ethnoracial identification, such that Latina women experienced disproportionate levels of violence relative to White and African American peers. Mothers’ monthly income, level of education, general health, and relationship status also emerged as significant predictors of violence exposure. Results support the development of culturally sensitive adaptations of IPV interventions, targeting not only Latina populations but also women who are single, low-income, and educationally underserved.

Posttraumatic stress disorder in Latina women: Examining the efficacy of the Moms’ Empowerment Program.

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem, affecting every 1 in 4 women in their lifetime. Latinas have been found to experience IPV at rates equal to or even higher than rates in the general population. The consequences of experiencing such violence can be severe, and result in increased risk for developing both physical and mental health problems, notably, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although treatments for PTSD in IPV-exposed women have been developed and evaluated, this is the first study to test the efficacy of a program tailored specifically to meet the needs of Latinas who experience IPV. Method: This study examines the efficacy of a Spanish-language adaptation of the Moms’ Empowerment Program, a 10-week group treatment program for IPV-exposed women. A total of 93 low-income, mostly immigrant Latinas were included in this community trial. All women were Spanish-speaking, and information about violence exposure and PTSD symptoms were collected immediately before and after the implementation of the intervention. Results: Findings show that women who participated in the intervention had a significantly greater reduction in PTSD symptoms than women in the wait-list comparison group. Specific reductions by symptom domains were also analyzed. Conclusions: This adaptation of a program designed to reduce problems associated with experiencing IPV addressed several mental health treatment needs for Latinas, particularly the need for services in Spanish. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to tailor current treatment programs for IPV in ways that are both effective and culturally sensitive.

Undiagnosed Depression in Spanish-Speaking Latinas Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Depression causes impairment worldwide and disproportionately affects women, Latinos, and those who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). This study assessed the prevalence of depressive symptoms among 96 Latinas exposed to IPV. While 85% of women reported clinical-level depression symptoms, only 11% had ever received a diagnosis of depression. Results indicate that greater income, injury, and depression symptoms significantly differentiated women who were diagnosed with depression from those with self-reported clinical-level depression symptoms. Undiagnosed depression is a major public health problem for low-income Latinas exposed to IPV and thus calls for the assessment of this disorder among those with limited access to care.

The Social and Individual Characteristics of Women Associated With Engagement With Multiple Intimate Violent Partners.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem with known negative physical and mental health outcomes for women exposed. Studies have shown that with increased violence exposure, there are increased risks of negative outcomes for women. Likewise, chronicity of IPV across multiple partners is linked to more profound psychological suffering than acute exposure. However, little is known about the social- and individual-level characteristics of women that are correlated with engagement with multiple abusive partners. The current study (N = 164) identifies the characteristics of women that are associated with the number of violent partners with which they have been involved, with 35% of the sample reporting multiple IPV relationships. Participants reported on the number of violent partners, demographic characteristics, trauma history, current trauma and depressive symptoms, and exposure to IPV, including physical, sexual, and psychological violence. Results of multiple regression analysis indicate that trauma history (childhood sexual abuse, being held hostage, and torture) and current psychological violence were associated with women’s engagement with multiple violent partners. Additional findings reveal that identification as African American and White was associated with greater re-engagement compared with identification as Latina. Finally, current exposure to sexual violence was associated with fewer violent partners. The clinical implications of these findings for treatment for women at risk for engagement with multiple partners in IPV relationships are discussed.

Reducing Intimate Partner Violence Among Latinas Through the Moms’ Empowerment Program: an Efficacy Trial

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is a particularly prevalent public health concern among Latina populations, the evidence-based treatment options for Latinas who experience IPV are limited. The present study tested the efficacy of the Moms’ Empowerment Program (MEP), an intervention for Spanish-speaking Latina mothers who had recently experienced IPV. Participants (N = 95) were assigned to a Treatment (n = 55) or a waitlist Control (n = 40) condition, and those in the Treatment group completed a 10-week intervention designed to address the problems associated with IPV. Intent-to-treat analyses using multiple regression revealed that Latinas’ participation in the MEP was associated with reductions in IPV exposure. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the MEP may reduce exposure to physical violence among Spanish-speaking Latinas.

23 Contributions to depressed affect in latina women: examining the effectiveness of the moms’ empowerment program

Purpose Approximately 35% of Latinas living in the United States experience intimate partner violence (IPV), with known severe negative outcomes. One consequence is depression, which disproportionately affects IPV-exposed Latinas. This study tested the effectiveness of the Moms’ Empowerment Program (MEP), a culturally adapted psychotherapeutic intervention, to reduce depressed affect among IPV-exposed Spanish-speaking Latina mothers. Additional psychosocial predictors of levels of depressed affect over time are examined, including levels of post-traumatic stress, IPV exposure, positive parenting, parental acceptance of children’s negative emotions, and maternal employment. Method Participants (n=72) were Latinas with children who had been exposed to IPV. Women were assigned to a treatment or a waitlist comparison condition, and those in the treatment group completed a 10 week group intervention in Spanish addressing the unique problems associated with IPV exposure, mental health, and parenting among Latinas. Multilevel modelling was used to examine women’s changes in depressed affect over time. Results Results revealed that participation in the MEP was associated with significant reductions in depressed affect. Lower levels of post-traumatic stress and higher levels of positive parenting, maternal acceptance of children’s negative emotions, and maternal employment predicted lower levels of depressed affect. Conclusion The MEP is a culturally adapted, economic, brief, and effective treatment option to reduce depressed affect in IPV-exposed, Spanish-speaking Latinas. Contributions As Latinas are at disproportionate risk for depression following IPV, these findings make an important contribution to violence interventions to improve the lives of Spanish-speaking women experiencing IPV. The MEP’s manualized format makes it appropriate for use in a broad range of community settings, which may increase access to care. Prior studies have shown that depression in this population is more likely to be undiagnosed, the availability of the MEP in agencies serving Latinas who experience IPV may reduce psychopathology that would otherwise have gone untreated.