In this commentary for the special issue on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we trace where the field of disaster and intimate partner violence (IPV) research has gone since to guide future directions. Research on and after Hurricane Katrina opened the door for the study of the unique effects of disaster on IPV prevalence, characteristics, and interventions. This body of work suggests IPV, which includes physical, emotional, psychological, and economic abuse, and aggression, stalking, or sexual harm, by a current or former partner or spouse, likely increases in prevalence and severity after disaster. We have learned much since Hurricane Katrina made landfall 20 years ago. After reviewing the field, we offer insights into future directions, focusing on recovery and resilience, with policy implications for those suffering from surviving both disaster and IPV.

A systematic review of primary prevention programs for intimate partner violence (IPV) was conducted. Inclusion criteria for studies included publication in a peer-reviewed journal, a representative, community, or clinical sample, written in English, and conducted in the United States. A total of 24 articles were included. All studies included some kind of intervention, such as knowledge and/or behavioral, to change outcomes in IPV perpetration and/or victimization. Of the 24 studies, 16 used experimental designs, with the majority focused on adolescent samples (n= 14). The majority of studies used a group modality. Several prevention programs were adapted for specific subgroups (i.e., refugees) with promising outcomes for preventing IPV. While the majority of research reviewed suggests some reduction in IPV, the field still yields mixed results. Research does point toward the importance of adapting or creating prevention programs specifically for marginalized or vulnerable subgroups. Comparisons to a prior review highlight developments in this body of research over the past 10 years. Recommendations for intervention and policy with future directions for IPV research are discussed.

A systematic review of risk assessment instruments for intimate partner violence (IPV) was conducted. Inclusion criteria for studies included publication in a peer-reviewed journal, a representative, community, or clinical sample, written in English, and conducted in the United States. A total of 57 articles were included. Our review demonstrates there has been (a) an increase in research into the validity and predictive capabilities of risk assessments for IPV, (b) a proliferation of risk assessment instruments, and (c) novel populations are being assessed with adapted risk instruments (e.g., immigrants and nonbinary). Comparisons to a prior review highlight developments in research in the past 10 years. Recommendations for intervention and policy with future directions for IPV research are discussed.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of intervention programs for perpetrators and victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) was conducted. Inclusion criteria for studies included publication in a peer-reviewed journal, a representative, community, or clinical sample, written in English, and conducted in the United States. A total of 40 articles were included. Comparisons to a prior review highlight developments in research in the past 10 years. Studies into batterer intervention programs, the predominant form of abuser intervention in the United States, found mixed support for their effectiveness at reducing IPV. Issues with program completion remain a problem. Research into victim–survivor programs proved more promising in both reducing IPV and ameliorating adverse mental health outcomes (i.e., depression and posttraumatic stress disorder). Recommendations for intervention and policy with future directions for IPV research are discussed.

This study investigated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence among a sample of intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors (n = 77) who filed for restraining orders in rural Louisiana during the COVID-19 pandemic. IPV survivors were individually interviewed to assess their self-reported levels of perceived stress, resilience, potential PTSD, COVID-19-related experiences, and sociodemographic characteristics. Data were analyzed to differentiate group membership between two groups; non-PTSD and probable PTSD. Results suggest the probable PTSD group had lower levels of resilience and higher levels of perceived stress compared to the non-PTSD group. Findings suggest the importance of providing services during disaster to reduce PTSD for IPV survivors.

Historically marginalized communities continue to face several barriers when trying to access disaster finances and resources. This scoping review aims to synthesize the existing literature in order to clarify the barriers populations, specifically Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), Latine, limited English proficiency (LEP), differently abled, and undocumented populations, face during the disaster recovery process in the United States. Members of the research team independently reviewed the literature (n = 108 articles) and used thematic analysis to find, examine, interpret, and report repeated patterns. Five main interconnected themes emerged with high inter -rater reliability throughout the analysis, which were: 1) the process is confusing and difficult to navigate; 2) exclusion from or lack of access to political power and recovery decisionmaking processes; 3) exclusion due to discrimination in its many forms; 4) issues in the funding aid ecosystem; and 5) politicians and media having an inordinate amount of control over the flow of resources and recovery processes. Findings point to a need for greater inclusion of historically marginalized populations throughout the pre -disaster planning and recovery process. These findings provide the basis for actionable recommendations for governments, relief organizations, and other stakeholders on how to address recovery barriers and meet the needs of diverse populations.

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and disaster preparedness on both multiple disaster exposure and perceived stress, for residents of the Gulf Coast (United States) at risk of experiencing multiple disasters. Binary logistic regression was conducted using primary survey data collected from 2020 to 2022, which captured two hurricane seasons (n = 807). Two models were run, one with repeated disaster exposure as the dependent variable and one with perceived stress as the dependent variable. Independent variables in both models included sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., age, race, and gender) and disaster preparedness. Results suggest respondents who have previously prepared for disaster were more likely to have experienced multiple disasters, while those who identified as White were less likely to have experienced multiple disasters than those who did not identify as White. Results also indicate that women, younger respondents, and those with less education experienced high levels of perceived stress. These findings provide insights into factors that are associated with multiple disaster exposure, including the linkage between disaster preparedness and multiple disaster exposure, as well as sociodemographic characteristics, including gender, that are associated with higher levels of perceived stress for those at risk of experiencing multiple disasters. Based on these findings, we suggest "evacuation fatigue"-the idea that residents may be tired of evacuating because of false alarms when exposed to multiple disasters routinely-is a concept warranting further examination, which could complicate planning, response, and recovery efforts as well as potentially increase multiple disaster exposure.

This document captures CEDR’s evidence informed process and approach to program development. It highlights the evidence we used to inform the program development, the lessons learned along the way, and briefly highlights the capacity building program that resulted.

This research brief provides a practical review of disaster recovery literature from the last 25 years. It identifies the specific barriers to disaster recovery that vulnerable communities face in the US and highlights key recommendations and insights for policymakers and practitioners working in the disaster recovery space.

This research sought to identify differences in perceived stress and personal resilience across gender, race, and different types of stressors (such as rent or mortgage stress) among a sample of United States residents experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic. It used a cross-sectional, convenience sampling design for primary survey data collected over 10 weeks starting in April 2020 (n=374). Independent t-tests and binary logistic regression were performed to determine statistically significant differences between gender and race for perceived stress and personal resilience and to pinpoint key contributing factors. Results indicate women exhibited higher levels of stress, with non-IPV (intimate partner violence) reporting women evidencing higher levels of resilience than IPV reporting women. Racial minority women were more likely to experience nutritional stress, whereas White women were more likely to worry about rent or mortgage stress. These findings provide insight into disparate impacts across vulnerable populations at the start of a crisis with implications for improving pre- and post-disaster interventions.

Objective: Our objective was to understand experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) by survivors living through the COVID-19 pandemic in a rural area. Method: Structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of IPV survivors, 93% of whom identified as women, living in a rural parish (county) in Louisiana (n = 41). Interviews included COVID-19-related stressors (e.g., rent stress due to the pandemic) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5) and resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10) validated scales. Data were analyzed using independent t tests to determine differences across race with respect to PTSD and resilience and logistic regression to predict group membership in the probable PTSD group. Results: Results indicate 72.5% and 56.2% of rural IPV survivors interviewed reported experiencing rent/mortgage stress and nutritional stress, respectively, due to the pandemic. No statistically significant differences by race for probable PTSD or resilience were found. Rent or mortgage stress due to COVID-19 was a significant predictor of probable PTSD in the regression model. Conclusions: Findings suggest the possibility that IPV concerns may exacerbate pandemic-related concerns, which in turn exacerbates health functioning. Clinical Impact Statement This research suggests policy changes to the Violence Against Women Act and the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act are needed to better support rural intimate partner violence survivors during disaster to aid in keeping survivors safe from abusers.

Objective: The purpose of this research was a pilot examination to identify and assess relationships among social vulnerability, personal resilience, and preparedness for a sample of US residents living in the Gulf South, who had experienced climate-related disaster (e.g., hurricanes) and the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Binary logistic regression was conducted using primary survey data collected in 2020 (n = 744) to identify statistically significant explanatory variables of sociodemographic characteristics and resilience, measured by the CD-RISC 10, of climate-related disaster, and pandemic preparedness. Results: Results indicate that respondents who identified as white, had more education, were in a relationship, and spoke English as a first language, as well as respondents who had exhibited greater resilience, were more likely to prepare for a climate-related disaster. Respondents who spoke English as a first language, had more education, and greater resilience were found to be statistically significant explanatory variables of pandemic preparedness. Respondents who prepared for disaster were also more likely to prepare for the pandemic. Conclusions: These findings provide insights into protective factors related to preparedness, including linkages between resilience and preparedness that can aid public health professionals in supporting resilience and preparedness efforts for impacted communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to increase social, economic, and psychological risks, including increased perceived stress - or the degree to which a person perceives a stressor and their ability to cope with it. The current study uses novel data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic to assess the role of a range of demographic and disaster-related experiential variables on perceived stress (n = 744). Hierarchical linear regression indicates that women experience greater perceived stress than men and as age and educational attainment increase, perceived stress decreases. Respondents experiencing rent/mortgage stress, job loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic, anticipated reliance on others, and worry about ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on their physical health, the economy, and personal relationships also experience increased perceived stress. Results provide empirical evidence of risks stemming from the multiple concerns (i.e., financial, psychological, and physical health) of U.S. residents regarding the COVID-19 disaster. Findings indicate the need for policy and legislative actions, such as the U.S.-wide eviction moratorium, to support individuals suffering from multiple impacts from the pandemic and to reduce perceived stress and its attendant risks including increased incidents of posttraumatic stress and depression.

Making matters more complicated, the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be challenging on many fronts, with IPV taking center stage as a major global public health concern, in response to pandemic-related strategies like lockdowns.3,4 In this issue of AJPH, Fereidooni et al. (http://bit.ly/3NV9xG8) undertook an investigation that examined the prevalence of IPV during COVID-19 among Iranian women. [...]they provide empirical data documenting the impact COVID-19 public health prevention measures had on increasing IPV risk for women, with an emphasis on the Global South. [...]they found that a male partner becoming unemployed increased IPV risk for his female partner and that socioeconomic status served as a protective factor for women, both of which are true in Western countries.6 The Fereidooni et al. study serves to further the argument made in other studies that we should unify efforts to address violence against women by providing yet more evidence that IPV is a global public health problem that is not bound by hemisphere, continent, or region.7 CORRESPONDENCE Correspondence may be sent to Regardt Ferreira, School of Social Work, Tulane University, 127 Elk Place, New Orleans, LA 70112-2627 (e-mail: rferrei@tulane.edu).

Based on the emerging literature being developed in Motivational Interviewing that suggests certain group process factors and facilitator attributes predict treatment outcomes, this study sought to investigate the relationship between both client and facilitator ratings of the batterer intervention group experience. This study presents data from 16 group facilitators drawn from five agencies and 175 clients being served by these facilitators. The data gathered included both facilitator ratings of clients (i.e., Group Engagement Measure-GEM) and client ratings of facilitators and the group experience (i.e., Client Rating of Facilitator-CRF, Client Perceived Benefits of Group-CPBG). Results indicate that facilitators rated clients as being engaged in the group process across all the domains assessed by the GEM and that clients viewed the facilitators and group experiences favorably as assessed by the CRF and CPBG. There was no significant correlation between the GEM and CRF or the GEM and CPBG, but there was a strong, positive correlation between the CRF and CPBG. The results here support previous research findings suggesting a strong correlation between client engagement in the therapeutic process, based on their perception of the facilitator, and their perceived benefits of the group experience. Implications of the findings for improving empirical investigations of the batterer intervention group experience were explored and discussed.

Though usually framed in the context of ideological and political processes, the failure of domestic violence perpetrator programs to embrace research-supported practice may also be influenced by a widespread unwillingness to use public funds for that purpose. This policy analysis examines the links among federal policy, state implementation, organizational structure, and funding sources of perpetrator service-providing organizations. Those links reveal reciprocal relationships among conservative and ostensibly feminist views of domestic violence within an implied policy framework justifying public underfunding of perpetrator treatment programs. Placed within the current hyper-politicized context of US Federal governance and policy, this analysis identifies advancements in perpetrator treatment in several state governments as harbingers of potential movement toward research-supported practice.

A debate persists regarding the effectiveness of batterer intervention programs (BIPs), the predominant form of intervention for individuals who have perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV). Social science research has identified some promising research trends-for example, the effectiveness of motivational interviewing and process factors that maintain an effective therapist-client alliance, what clients say facilitators can do to keep them engaged and motivated, and, for certain low-risk populations, the viability of couples counseling. Unfortunately, most frontline treatment providers lack access to much of this research, which appears primarily in peer-reviewed journals. A previous national survey of BIPs reported that, on the whole, BIP group facilitators have ample clinical experience, but are poorly informed about IPV risk factors and dynamics; and while they report substantial training, the nature of that training, and the extent to which the training accurately reflects current research, remains unknown. BIPs, and most treatment providers, including licensed mental health professionals, depend on organizations who too often lack reliable, up-to-date information about domestic violence. The Association of Domestic Violence Intervention Providers (ADVIP) was created by the first author to provide a platform where researchers and providers could cooperate by exchanging information and resources. This article reports on findings from a larger follow-up to the 2016 survey, that sought to elicit views on how to increase cooperation between domestic violence scholars and treatment providers and advance evidence-based practice, and to gauge the role of ADVIP in this effort.

COVID-19 is a pandemic event not seen in a century. This research aims to determine important predictors of resilience towards the COVID 19/Coronavirus Pandemic. This study uses a cross-sectional design, with purposive snowball sampling, for primary survey data collected over 10 weeks starting the first week in April 2020. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire on demographics and behavioral factors. Resilience was assessed using the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and perceived stress was assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale. 374 adults participated in the survey. OLS regression was performed to determine key associations among demographic variables, resilience measures, and perceived stress brought on by COVID-19. Age and education were statistically significantly positively associated with resilience, while English as a second language was significantly negatively associated. Participants who reported needing help from family and neighbors, total number of days in lockdown, and higher perceived stress were all significantly negatively associated with resilience. This study adds to immediate predictors of individual resilience to the ongoing infectious disease catastrophe created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSEThe purpose of this study was to understand the importance of research-supported practice for batterer intervention programs.METHODSThis study applied descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses to a novel dataset from the Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment Survey (N = 411). This was a 69-item survey developed by domestic violence providers and researchers to understand the role of research-supported practice in the treatment of intimate partner violence (IPV).RESULTSThis study found statistically significant differences between Duluth oriented programs and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) oriented programs with respect to the importance of research-supported practices and motivational interviewing, a strategy found effective in treatment of IPV by extant research.DISCUSSIONThere appears to have been an evolution among practitioners toward more eclecticism, and an acknowledgment that programs should be research-supported.CONCLUSIONImplications of this study for education and treatment are discussed.