Laura Ting

The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS): Confirmatory Factor Analyses with a National Sample of Mental Health Social Workers

SUMMARY The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS; Bride, Robinson, Yegidis, & Figley, 2004) is an easy to administer 17-itemself-report measure of secondary trauma. Bride et al. (2004) reported a measure of three domains of traumatic stress specifically associated with secondary exposure to trauma: intrusion, avoidance, and arousal. The STSS was reported to have high levels of internal consistency reliability and indicated evidence of convergent, discriminant, and factorial validity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the reliability and validity of the STSS with a national, random sample of mental health social workers. To assess the fit of the data to the three-factor structure proposed by Bride et al., a confirmatory factor analysis was performed on data from 275 social workers who indicated exposure to client trauma. The model fit the data adequately although high factor intercorrelations strongly suggest a unidimensional scale. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis of a unidimensional scale and a second order factor analysis yielded similar results. Findings indicate the need for further scale validation. Challenges remain for measuring and distinctly differentiating between secondary trauma symptoms of arousal, avoidance, and intrusion. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Interventions for Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Review of Efficacy Research and Recent Trends

The efficacy of psychosocial interventions for perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) has been increasingly challenged in recent years, largely in response to reviews of research showing limited program effects. This article addresses the state of the art in research on IPV perpetrator interventions. After considering previous quantitative reviews of research in this area, new trends and innovations are addressed, including culturally focused interventions, case management and comprehensive services, supportive efforts to enhance program attendance, and interventions focused on motivation to change. Recent research has failed to provide clear evidence that race-specific groups or culturally focused content enhances the efficacy of standard IPV interventions. Similarly, research exploring case management for IPV perpetrators revealed important problems in implementation of the intervention and no clear evidence of improved outcomes. However, some evidence indicates that the integration of substance use interventions may enhance violence reduction. Supportive interventions designed to enhance program attendance and motivation to change have yielded consistently encouraging results, including significant effects on program attendance, compliance with IPV intervention tasks, and increased personal change and help-seeking efforts. These interventions have shown favorable initial effects in reducing abusive behavior relative to treatment-as-usual controls, and they are highlighted as a potentially fruitful avenue for continued research.

Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Immigrant African Women Survivors of Partner Abuse: Listening to Women's Own Voices

Most studies in the United States documenting immigrant womens experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) have not included the perspectives of abused immigrant African women. This study utilized a phenomenological approach to explore help-seeking barriers and factors impacting decisions to leave an abusive relationship among 15 immigrant African women. Results from the qualitative analysis indicated that the culture of gender inequality and acceptance of gender violence were primary barriers. Self-blame, loyalty, concern for children, and lack of knowledge regarding abuse, services, and legal rights were additional barriers, along with structural factors such as finances, underemployment, and housing. Muslim African women also feared the additional stigma of being in polygamous relationships. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Prevalence of and Reactions to Fatal and Nonfatal Client Suicidal Behavior: A National Study of Mental Health Social Workers:

A majority of mental health social workers come in contact with suicidal clients during their career. As a result, social workers may experience high levels of stress that can ultimately impact their quality of and ability to practice. The present study examined the prevalence of fatal and nonfatal client suicidal behavior experienced by mental health social workers and examined their subsequent reactions. A random national sample of 697 mental health social workers from the NASW database was anonymously surveyed. Findings indicate that both fatal and nonfatal client suicidal behavior is not a rare occurrence for mental health social workers and that both types of behaviors relate to increased levels of subjective stress as measured by the Impact of Event Scale (IES);. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Out of Africa: Coping Strategies of African Immigrant Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

We explored the coping behaviors of 15 immigrant African survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States. Similarities and differences in coping strategies between African and other immigrant women were noted. Results from the qualitative analysis are that African immigrant survivors utilized multiple coping strategies including beliefs in spirituality and divine retribution, a future orientation, and a sense of self-efficacy. Acceptance/ endurance of abuse, which they believe was “normal” in male/ female relationships; minimization of the abuse; and avoidant behaviors and thoughts also were used. Informal and formal support/help seeking, and knowledge of available services empowered women. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed.

Preparing for the Inevitable: Training Social Workers to Cope with Client Suicide

ABSTRACT Little attention has been given to educating and training social work students and professionals about working with suicidal clients. This article summarizes the literature on client suicide and the professional social worker, as well as presents results from a mixed methods study, which utilized both qualitative and quantitative data collected from a national study on client suicide among social workers. The results indicate that 55% of social workers will experience at least one client suicide attempt and 31% will experience a client suicide completion during the course of their career. Additionally, less than 50% of the social workers surveyed received previous training or education about client suicide in their MSW programs. Suggestions from social workers for the content of training classes on client suicide are included. Implications for practice and research are also discussed.

The neglect scale: confirmatory factor analyses in a low-income sample

The Neglect Scale is an easy-to-administer, retrospective, self-report measure of neglect. Research conducted by Straus and colleagues with college students indicates that this scale has a high level of internal consistency reliability and moderate construct validity. The purpose of this article is to examine the reliability and validity of the Neglect Scale when used with a low-income, inner-city sample. The sample included 151 women who were participating in a neglect prevention demonstration project. The Neglect Scale was completed as part of a computer-administered baseline interview before services were provided. To assess whether the 20-item, four-factor structure reported by Straus et al. fit the data from this sample, a confirmatory factor analysis was performed; the model did not fit the data well. Additional analyses identified a model that did fit the data well and suggest that the Neglect Scale is a promising self-report measure.

Reactions of Mental Health Social Workers following a Client Suicide Completion: A Qualitative Investigation

The impact of client suicidal behavior on mental health social workers is slowly receiving increased empirical attention. This qualitative study examined the impact of client suicide on social workers. Results indicate that social workers experience multiple personal and professional reactions immediately following a client suicide completion. Long-term effects, such as the continual experience of emotional reactions and permanent behavior changes, including changing practice strategies, are also reported. The results of this study have significant implications for the preparation of social workers and other mental health therapists for practice with suicidal clients.

The teachers' reactions to school violence scale: Psychometric properties and scale development

In response to the concern with and severity of school violence and the limited research on teachers’responses to these events, the Teachers’Reactions to School Violence Scale (TRSV) was developed. The TRSV is a self-report scale with 35 items measuring teachers’ reactions in relation to an incident of school violence. The convenience sample consisted of 143 middle and high school teachers. A principal components analysis yielded six components: Intrusion, Perceived Safety With Students, Avoidance of Students/Situations, Trust of Students, Environmental Safety, and Feelings of Relief. The six components accounted for 67% of the total variance, and subscale reliabilities ranged from .60 to .95. Convergent and discriminant validity was assessed through validation of the TRSV against the Impact of Events Scale. In addition, a comparison of teachers in perceived high-violence schools with teachers in perceived low-violence schools was used to examine criterion-related validity.

Substance Use Problems, Treatment Engagement, and Outcomes in Partner Violent Men

Objectives: This study examined predictive associations of substance abuse with treatment engagement variables and partner abuse outcomes and explored the extent to which treatment engagement and ongoing alcohol consumption mediated the association between pretreatment substance use and posttreatment abuse. Method: Data were collected from 145 partner abusive men in treatment and partners using standardized measures of violence, alcohol and drug use at baseline, posttreatment, and follow-up assessments. Results: Men who screened positive for alcohol or drug problems at baseline had significantly lower treatment engagement and higher self-reports of partner abuse before and during treatment. Partial support was found for the mediation model. Conclusions: The implications for social work practitioners who work in interdisciplinary settings with intimate partner violence perpetrators and survivors are discussed.