THE DIFFERENTIAL IMPACT OF INTIMATE TERRORISM AND SITUATIONAL COUPLE VIOLENCE ON THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF RURAL MOTHERS AND CHILDREN

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: TERMINATED
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1002085
• Project No.: ALA042-1-13011
• Project Start Date: Feb 3, 2014
• Project End Date: Nov 30, 2018

Project Director
Haselschwerdt, ME.

Recipient Organization
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
108 M. WHITE SMITH HALL
AUBURN,AL 36849

Performing Department
Human Development and Family Studies

Non Technical Summary
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the most significant preventable health problems in the United States. Women are at an increased risk for experiencing severe and coercive types of violence. Although we know that IPV negatively impacts women's physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being, recent research has shown that different types of violence (e.g., intimate terrorism and situational couple violence) differentially impact women's overall health and well-being. Intimate terrorism (IT) is distinguished by one partners' use of physical violence in conjunciton with coercive control (how we classically think of battering). In contrast, situational couple violence (SCV) is conflict that escalates to violence but is not rooted in coercive control. Despite the shift in the adult IPV literature towards a more nuanced conceptualization of IPV, the youth (children and adolescents) exposure literature has remained relatively unsophisticated, which has led to conflicting findings regarding the impact of IPV exposure. For example, youth exposed to IPV are at an increased risk for externalizing and internalizing behaviors and other maladaptive outcomes, but there are inconsistencies regarding the salience of protective and risk factors, as roughly 50% of exposed youth do not show signs of any maladaptive outcomes. Furthermore, we know little about the overall home environment and parenting styles of men who are abusive to their spouse, which may further impact the mother and youth's overall health and well-being. Additionally, there is no research to date on rural mothers' experience with intimate terrorism versus situational couple violence, or rural youth's experiences when exposed to the two types of violence. By using a sequential mixed methods design, these two studies address the gaps in the current literature with the following objectives: 1) Investigate how different types of IPV impact rural mothers and children's overall health and well-being, family dynamics and functioning, and overall home environment; 2) Examine how rural women and their children manage their experiences with IPV during marriage and post-separation. Youth exposed to IPV in their family of origin who are now between the ages of 19 - 25 (hereafter referred to as emerging adults) will participate in a quantitative, online survey and potentially a qualitative in-depth interview based on their responses to the survey. Mothers from rural communities will participate in the second study, which will follow the same methodological format as the emerging adults. The findings will be analyzed independently and in combination to justify future funding from private and public, national sources to further test these findings in rural communities across the United States with the end goal of providing tangible resources and recommendations to professionals, advocates, and policy makers whose goals are to increase the health and well-being of rural youth and families.

Animal Health Component

0%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

100%

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
802	6099	3080	100%

Knowledge Area
802 - Human Development and Family Well-Being;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3080 - Sociology;

Keywords

family violence

exposure to family violence

intimate terrorism

health and well-being

Goals / Objectives
1) Investigate how different types of intimate partner violence impact rural mother's and children's overall health and well-being, family dynamics and functioning, and overall home environment. 2) Examine how these rural women and their children manage their experiences during marriage and post-separation.

Project Methods
These studies will utilize a sequential mixed methods design - quantitative online survey and qualitative in-depth interviews. Mixed methods are unique in the general intimate partner violence literature, but they are especially rare in the youth exposure literature. Thus, these studies will provide a methodological model for collecting data that will be analyzed quantitatively, qualitatively, and through mixed methods comparative approaches. The quantitative data will be entered, stores, and analyzed in SPSS, and thequalitative data will be entered and analyzed in MAXQDA. The selected data utilized for the mixing of the methods will be entered and analyzed in MAXQDA.Multiple regression analyses will be conducted to determine the relationship between the two main types of violence and the specified indices as well as to examine the impact of the moderating and mediating variables.The qualitative interviews will be analyzed using a combination of grounded theory coding approaches, such as initial, focused, and selective coding as well as components of thematic analysis to establish predominant themes or categories in the data.Based on the findings from the quantitative and qualitative portions of the study, the data will be analyzed to uncover and further refine divergent and convergent findings consistent with mixed methods approaches.

Progress 02/03/14 to 11/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? I had the opportunity to take part in a 4-day Mixed Methods Study Design and Analysis this summer at the Odum Insitute houses at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, which gave me additional knowledge and skills to lead my research team through our project. Through our weekly research team meetings and the tasks and responsibilities given to the students, they have learned a wide range of new research and professional development skills including but not limited to: recruitment idea development and execution, qualitative interviewing, database and software management for both quantitative and qualitative software (MAXQDA and SPSS), transcription, IRB modifications, conference proposal preparation, and multiple analysis steps for conducting qualitative studies. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? I plan to finish recruitment and have at least 1 of possible 3 manuscripts from this project under peer review in an academic journal. In addition, I plan to submit an AAES Young Investigator grant to continue on with the overall goals of the study by conducting a quantitative study based on our current study findings. We also plan that our proposed symposia will be accepted for presentation at the National Council on Family Relations in November.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We began recruitment for our first qualitative study of young adults exposed to intimate partner violence in their family of origin. We are now halfway through our recruitment with a total thus far of 16 participants. We expect to finish recruitment within the next 3 months for a total sample of 25-30 young adults, which is ample given the depth of information that we are gathering from these interviews. Of the 16 completed interviews, 15 have been transcribed verbatim, and 11 interviews have been thoroughly analyzed by the research team.

Publications

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Dr. Haselschwerdt has resigned from Auburn University and the project is no longer active. Changes/Problems:Dr. Haselschwerdt has resigned from Auburn University and the project is no longer active. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Dr. Haselschwerdt has resigned from Auburn University and the project is no longer active. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dr. Haselschwerdt has resigned from Auburn University and the project is no longer active. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Dr. Haselschwerdt has resigned from Auburn University and the project is no longer active.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Dr. Haselschwerdt has resigned from Auburn University and the project is no longer active.

Publications

Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience was fellow researchers, graduate students, professionals who read academic journals, broader audiences who follow our social media (e.g., Facebook) page for updates on our research and findings, as well as conference attendees. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Thus far, this project has provided training and professional development for 9 undergraduate research assistants and 5 graduate research assistants in study design development, data collection and analysis (both quantitative and qualitative), research ethics and working with IRB, participant recruitment, and team work and group-based research projects. The graduate students have also gained mentorship opportunities in working with the undergraduate students on the project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminatiated via academic journal publications, conference presentations that target academic and professional audiences, as well as through a Fact Sheet made accessible to the public through our project Facebook page. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I plan to continue publishing off of the project data with graduate and potentially undergraduate students; supervise the students in their own mini-projects (undergraduates) and presentations (both graduate and undergraduates); finish data collection and begain data analysis for the Young Investigator Award study; and, facilitate student learning and growth by superivising their master's theses and dissertations.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Major Goal #1 We continue analyzing the data from a qualitative study on young adults exposed to domestic violence in their family of origin. Two students are currently using the data for the beginning stages of their master's thesis proposal development. In addition, I applied for and successfully obtained an AAES Young Investigator Award, which began in fall 2015 and will conclude in fall 2017. Phase 1 data collection began in November 2016.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2017 Citation: Haselschwerdt, M. L., & Hardesty, J. L. (accepted). Managing secrecy and disclosure of domestic violence in affluent communities. Journal of Marriage and Family. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/jomf.12345
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Haselschwerdt, M. L., Hlavaty, K., Carlson, C., Schneider, M., Maddox, L., & Skipper, M. (2016). Heterogeneity within domestic violence exposure: Young adults' retrospective experiences. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/0886260516651625
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Haselschwerdt, M. L., Mitchell, E. T., Raffaelli, M., & Hardesty, J. L. (2015). Divorcing mothers use of protective strategies: Differences over time and by violence experience. Psychology of Violence, 6(1), 182-192. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0039444
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2017 Citation: Haselschwerdt, M. L., Maddox, L., & Hlavaty, K. (under review). Fathering and the father-child relationship in the context of domestic violence.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2017 Citation: Carlson, C., & Haselschwerdt, M. L. (under review). Romantic relationship trajectories: A qualitative analysis of young adults exposed to marital violence.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Haselschwerdt, M. L., Savasuk, R., & Hlavaty,K. (accepted). A methodological review and critique of the intergenerational transmission of violence. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Haselschwerdt, M. L., Hlavaty*, K., Carlson*, C., Maddox*, L., & Schneider*, M. (2016). A qualitative examination of domestic violence and coercive control exposure. Paper presentation at the biannual conference of the International Family Violence and Child Victimization Research Conference, Portsmouth, NH.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Hlavaty*, K., & Haselschwerdt, M. L. (2016). The complexity of peer relationships among youth exposed to domestic violence. Paper presentation at the biannual conference of the International Family Violence and Child Victimization Research Conference, Portsmouth, NH.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Hlavaty,* K., & Haselschwerdt, M. L. (2015). The peer relationship experiences of young adults exposed to domestic violence. Paper presentation at the annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations, Vancouver, BC.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Savasuk*, R., Carlson*, C., Hlavaty*, K., & Haselschwerdt, M. L. (2015). Romantic relationship involvement and expectations among young adults exposed to domestic violence. Paper presentation at the annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations, Vancouver, BC.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Haselschwerdt, M. L., Hlavaty*, K., Carlson, *C., Schneider*, M., Maddox*, L., & Skipper*, M. (2015). Heterogeneity within domestic violence exposure: Young adults retrospective experiences. Paper presentation at the annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations, Vancouver, BC.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: Carlson, C. E. (2016). Romantic relationship trajectories: A qualitative analysis of young adults exposed to marital violence. (Unpublished master's thesis). Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Academic and professional audience: The principal investigator and two graduate students presented three different presentations at the National Council on Family Relations in November 2015 based on the findings from the first study. General population: The research team created a Facebook group to post about our study findings and related activities. We created an easy to access fact sheet with key findings from our first study. This was posted on social media for general population viewing. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided many oppotunities for training and professional development for the graduate and undergraduate research assistants on the project, including research design, interviewing, analysis, and academic writing. In addition, graduate students were given the opportunity to present at an academic conference based on our study findings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We created a Fact Sheet that was posted on social media and dispersed to professionals (e.g., counseling centers) who assisted in recruitment. We are waiting on the peer review process from two academic journals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to begin recruitment for the 2nd study;pending IRB approval. Within the next training period, we should have finished recruitment for the first phase of the study (i.e., online questionnaire), began analyzing the data, and started conducting interviews for the 2nd phase of the study. We also plan to have 2 manuscripts submitted and hopefully accepted between now and the next reporting period. One additional student will also have completed her Master's Thesis using data from the first study.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We conducted our first research project, examining the experiences of young adults exposed to domestic violence. This included recruiting, interviewing, and analyzing the data from 25 participants. The data obtained from this study went towards one student's Master's Thesis that was successfully defended in the summer of 2015, as well as three academic conference presentations. We have submitted two academic manuscripts for publication, but we are waiting for the peer review results. Based on this initial study, I was able to obtain funding for a second study on this topic, utilizing different methodologies - online questionnaire, followed by phone interviews with exposed young adults from across the state.

Publications

Progress 02/03/14 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? I had the opportunity to take part in a 4-day Mixed Methods Study Design and Analysis this summer at the Odum Insitute houses at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, which gave me additional knowledge and skills to lead my research team through our project. Through our weekly research team meetings and the tasks and responsibilities given to the students, they have learned a wide range of new research and professional development skills including but not limited to: recruitment idea development and execution, qualitative interviewing, database and software management for both quantitative and qualitative software (MAXQDA and SPSS), transcription, IRB modifications, conference proposal preparation, and multiple analysis steps for conducting qualitative studies. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? I plan to finish recruitment and have at least 1 of possible 3 manuscripts from this project under peer review in an academic journal. In addition, I plan to submit an AAES Young Investigator grant to continue on with the overall goals of the study by conducting a quantitative study based on our current study findings. We also plan that our proposed symposia will be accepted for presentation at the National Council on Family Relations in November.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We began recruitment for our first qualitative study of young adults exposed to intimate partner violence in their family of origin. We are now halfway through our recruitment with a total thus far of 16 participants. We expect to finish recruitment within the next 3 months for a total sample of 25-30 young adults, which is ample given the depth of information that we are gathering from these interviews. Of the 16 completed interviews, 15 have been transcribed verbatim, and 11 interviews have been thoroughly analyzed by the research team.

Publications