Paula Renker

Interpersonal Violence and Women With Disabilities: Analysis of Safety Promoting Behaviors

Very little information exists related to the interpersonal violence safety promoting behaviors of women with disabilities. Information about women’s use of safety promoting behaviors was gathered from 305 disabled and deaf women who completed an anonymous Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview. Exploratory factor analyses revealed factors related to seeking abuse-related safety information, building abuse-related safety promoting skills, using relationship support, planning for emergencies, taking legal action, and managing safety in personal assistance relationships. Four of these factors demonstrated significant relationships to women’s experience of different forms of abuse and their perpetrator’s characteristics.

Development of an Accessible Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (A-CASI) to Screen for Abuse and Provide Safety Strategies for Women With Disabilities

To increase safety and minimize the risk of interpersonal violence, it is critical that women with disabilities and Deaf women have an opportunity to identify whether or not abuse is happening in their lives. Awareness and knowledge of what constitutes abusive behaviors is an essential first step in addressing interpersonal violence. This article includes a description of the development and evaluation of the Safer and Stronger Program (SSP), an audio computer-assisted self-interview program, which was created for women with disabilities and Deaf women for the purposes of increasing awareness of abuse, encouraging safety-planning behaviors, and providing information about community resources.

Development of Measures of Abuse Among Women With Disabilities and the Characteristics of Their Perpetrators

Three hundred and five women with diverse disabilities completed an anonymous audio computer—assisted self-interview designed to increase women’s awareness of abuse. Data were also collected regarding abuse experienced in the past year and the risk characteristics of their perpetrators. Overall, 68% reported some type of abuse. Preliminary evidence for the validity and reliability of questions to assess abuse and perpetrator risk characteristics was found. Latent class analysis revealed four distinct classes of abuse experiences: sexual abuse, physical abuse, multiple forms of abuse, and minimal abuse and three classes of perpetrator risk characteristics: controlling characteristics, noncontrolling characteristics, and minimal risk characteristics.

Efficacy of a Computerized Abuse and Safety Assessment Intervention for Women With Disabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of a computerized disability-specific abuse assessment intervention on abuse awareness, safety self-efficacy, and safety promoting behaviors of women with diverse disabilities. RESEARCH DESIGN A randomized control group design was used, with the intervention group completing the assessment intervention both at Time 1 (T1) and 3 months later at Time 2 (T2) and control participants completing it for the first time at T2. Analyses compared intervention and control groups at T2 and evaluated change over time in intervention group participants. The relationship between outcome variables (abuse awareness, safety self-efficacy, safety behaviors) was also explored. RESULTS The intervention group had greater abuse awareness than the control group at T2, and abuse awareness increased from T1 to T2 among women in the intervention group, particularly among women who had experienced little or no abuse in the past year. Both abuse awareness and safety self-efficacy were significantly related to safety behaviors. CONCLUSIONS The computerized program offers promise as a nonthreatening method of conducting abuse assessments among women with disabilities while also serving as an intervention to enhance abuse awareness.

Facilitators and Barriers to Disclosing Abuse among Women with Disabilities

An anonymous audio computer-assisted self-interview (A-CASI) designed to increase awareness of abuse was completed by 305 women with diverse disabilities. Data were also collected about lifetime and past year abuse; perpetrator risk characteristics; facilitators and barriers to disclosing abuse; abuse disclosure to a health provider, case manager, or police officer; and whether a health provider had ever discussed abuse or personal safety. A total of 276 (90%) women reported abuse, 208 (68%) reported abuse within the past year. Women who reported the most abuse experiences in the past year and the most dangerous perpetrators endorsed fewer facilitators and more barriers, but were also more likely to have ever disclosed abuse. Only 15% reported that a health provider had ever discussed abuse and personal safety.

Stress measurement among charge nurses: developing a cross‐cultural tool

AIM The aim of this study was to develop a cross-cultural tool for the measurement of stress among charge nurses in general hospitals. BACKGROUND Studies of the specific stressors unique to different nursing roles are few, particularly those related to hospital charge nurses. The Charge Nurse Stress Questionnaire is a well-validated Israeli-developed scale. However, it has not been tested cross-culturally. DESIGN A descriptive methodological study was conducted in Israel, Ohio and Thailand. METHOD A total of 2616 nurses from 23 hospitals (small to large size) completed the questionnaire between 2011-2013. The questionnaire was translated into English and Thai. To establish tool validity and reliability, content validity, internal consistency reliability, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were performed. RESULTS Analyses resulted in a final abbreviated version of the questionnaire with 25 items and four stress subscales. Internal consistency for the subscales indicated very good internal consistency. CONCLUSIONS We developed a self-reported, cross-cultural, valid and reliable tool for evaluating the specific stressors of the role of charge nurses. A rigorous assessment of charge nurse stress provides a good basis for planning tailored stress reduction interventions. It is recommended to further use the tool in different settings across different countries.Aim The aim of this study was to develop a cross-cultural tool for the measurement of stress among charge nurses in general hospitals. Background Studies of the specific stressors unique to different nursing roles are few, particularly those related to hospital charge nurses. The Charge Nurse Stress Questionnaire is a well-validated Israeli-developed scale. However, it has not been tested cross-culturally. Design A descriptive methodological study was conducted in Israel, Ohio and Thailand. Method A total of 2616 nurses from 23 hospitals (small to large size) completed the questionnaire between 2011–2013. The questionnaire was translated into English and Thai. To establish tool validity and reliability, content validity, internal consistency reliability, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were performed. Results Analyses resulted in a final abbreviated version of the questionnaire with 25 items and four stress subscales. Internal consistency for the subscales indicated very good internal consistency. Conclusions We developed a self-reported, cross-cultural, valid and reliable tool for evaluating the specific stressors of the role of charge nurses. A rigorous assessment of charge nurse stress provides a good basis for planning tailored stress reduction interventions. It is recommended to further use the tool in different settings across different countries.