The application proposes a study to prevent women's exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and reduce the negative mental health outcomes strongly associated with IPV, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse and suicidality. Using an experimental design, the interdisciplinary team will test the effectiveness of an interactive internet based safety decision aid on reducing abused women's decisional conflict and increasing safety-seeking behaviors, thus preventing exposure to repeat violence and improving mental health. To our knowledge, there have been no experimental studies that have evaluated safety planning effectiveness or use of a safety decision aid to address this significant health priority for women. Addressing this paucity of research is important because the stakes are high for women faced with safety decisions and planning for themselves and families. Relatively few women have the opportunity to assess their own danger level or systematically examine how they weigh the competing safety preferences under consideration (e.g., having adequate resources, such as housing, employment and childcare as well as keeping her children safe). Women who decide to end an abusive relationship are at increased risk of lethal violence by the abusive ex-partner following the estrangement. Because of the danger of leaving or staying in an abusive relationship, it is critical that women gain understanding of their own danger level and fully explore the complex safety preferences that influence their decision before taking action. This interactive internet-based safety decision aid will give women a much-needed opportunity to prioritize and plan for safety for themselves and their families. In the future, this internet-based safety decision aid should provide a cost-effective, evidence-based safety- planning tool to be translated into practice by multiple disciplines, including mental health care professionals and advocates who work with victims of IPV.

Public Health Relevance

Narrative This study will build the evidence necessary to advance violence prevention and mental health service programs and policies to support victims of domestic violence and their families.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01MH085641-01A1
Application #
7782015
Study Section
Mental Health Services in Non-Specialty Settings (SRNS)
Program Officer
Juliano-Bult, Denise M
Project Start
2010-05-05
Project End
2015-02-28
Budget Start
2010-05-05
Budget End
2011-02-28
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$700,648
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Type
Schools of Nursing
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21218
Eden, Karen B; Perrin, Nancy A; Hanson, Ginger C et al. (2015) Use of online safety decision aid by abused women: effect on decisional conflict in a randomized controlled trial. Am J Prev Med 48:372-83
Glass, Nancy; Eden, Karen B; Bloom, Tina et al. (2010) Computerized aid improves safety decision process for survivors of intimate partner violence. J Interpers Violence 25:1947-64