Economic empowerment (EE) services promote survivors’ economic stability and well-being. A target for intervention and prevention, then, is to offer more effective EE services. The study purpose was to develop a clearer picture of what EE services agencies offer, and how prepared staff are to provide these services. We collected data from 154 providers. Survivors most requested, and agencies most frequently provided, housing services. EE services offered did not differ by agency location, staff size, or number of clients. Providers’ confidence was greater if they completed high school; their agency offered more EE services; and they completed voluntary training.

PurposeDespite the costs of survivor isolation, most mainstream domestic violence programs have focused on meeting the needs of individual survivors and possibly their children, disregarding their attenuated social connections. Only in recent years have some advocates begun to address this gap through the development of practices that restore or create new ties between survivors and their informal networks. In order to grow and systematize these nascent network-oriented practices, we need a way to identify and measure them. This article describes the development of the Network-Oriented Practices Scale, designed to fill this gap.MethodWe developed a series of 35 draft items reflecting each dimension of the network-oriented approach, a model created in a prior community-based participatory research study. We administered them to 234 advocates in domestic violence programs across the country. Exploratory factor analysis identified underlying factors and reduced the number of items.ResultsThe resultant Network-Oriented Practices Scale (NOPS) comprised 14 items across three factors: Mapping Networks and Relationships (working directly with survivors); Engaging the Person who Harmed (working with harming partners); and Engaging Networks Directly (working with informal network members).ConclusionsThe time has come to develop a more systematic approach to supporting survivors' renewed links to their communities. The NOPS, described in this brief report, sets the stage, highlighting a set of practices that domestic violence programs can implement, and providing a way to assess their successes and failures in promoting survivors' connectedness, safety, and healing.

Partner abuse (PA) continues to be one of the most critical human rights and public health issues of our time (UNICEF, Facts and figures: Ending violence against women, 2014). Communities that experience oppression are most at-risk. Social networks, however, are a key target for PA prevention and intervention. One of the most important sources of support for individuals experiencing PA is family and friends (Coker et at 2003). The vast majority of PA victims, for example, disclose first to family and friends and turn to them most for informal support (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Scholars have conducted few studies with family and friends directly to understand what factors influence how they respond to PA. Our study purpose was to expand on Chronister et al.'s (2020) findings by identifying what contextual and cultural factors affected, how family members and friends responded to their Filipino loved ones involved in PA relationships. We used a constructivist-interpretivist research paradigm and phenomenological methods to conduct 29 in-depth interviews with family members and friends. The factors that influenced how participants responded included their understanding of PA and its mental health impact; their emotional and physical safety and the safety of their loved ones; cultural scripts; the availability of culturally appropriate responses and services; and interpersonal relationship contexts. Identification of these factors brought to light prominent Filipino values and psychological concepts; the challenges that intersections among cultural values as well as age, generation status, and acculturation posed for participants; and the desperate need for health care and social service systems that work for Filipinos.

Purpose Intimate partner violence (IPV) tends to increase for African immigrant women upon arrival in the United States because of adjustment and acculturation stress, non-citizen status, language barriers, economic insecurity, and lack of social support. The aim of this study was to speak directly with African immigrant women living in the same U.S. urban community and ask them about their perceptions of IPV. Authors posit that by learning more about IPV perceptions from African immigrant women, we can contribute to the literature on African immigrant women's experiences and, using transnational intersectionality theory, we can identify how social service providers may use these perceptions to create more inclusive and effective services for African immigrant women experiencing IPV. Method Community-based participatory focus groups and interpretive phenomenology were used to understand the perceptions of IPV from 22 women (10 Ethiopian immigrant women and 12 immigrant women from various French speaking countries in Africa). Cultural brokers helped with the development of research questions, recruitment materials, interview process, and the review of interview transcripts. Results Women reported concerns and barriers precipitated by intersections of culture and patriarchy, judgment from others, and fear of losing financial support. Findings also show that perceptions of IPV and decision-making to seek help were influenced by factors associated with their countries of origin as well as their host country, the United States. Conclusions It is important for clinicians to understand the ways in which culture, ethnicity, and transnational perspectives intersect with responses to IPV and use this to inform and support services for these populations. Implications are provided.

Black students attending historically White institutions of higher education experience racism, racial microaggressions, racial stress, and consequent racial battle fatigue (RBF; Franklin et al., 2014). We examined Black counseling and clinical graduate students' (BGS) experiences of psychological, physiological, and behavioral RBF across their roles as students in class, advisees, and supervisees and differences in RBF experiences by gender and race. Participants were 57 counseling and clinical graduate students who identified as Monoracial, Biracial, or Multiracial Black. One-way, repeated measures analysis of variance results showed that BGS experienced the highest levels of RBF in their student-in-class role, and those experiences differed for women and men. Results suggest that the RBF framework has utility for measuring and further understanding how BGS' student role and learning contexts influence their postsecondary experiences and how institutions can develop better supports for this student population.

Community-based research shows that 22% of Filipino Americans report experiencing at least one form of partner abuse (PA) during their lifetime, a higher prevalence rate than those documented among other Asian ethnic groups (Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, 2018). Victims with support resources are less likely to experience negative health outcomes and revictimization, and one of the most important sources of support is family and friends (Coker, Watkins, Smith, & Brandt, 2003). The vast majority of PA victims disclose first to family and friends and turn to them most for informal support (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). There is little research, however, that has involved asking family and friends directly about how they responded to loved ones involved in abusive intimate partnerships. The purpose of this study was to explore in depth family members' and friends' responses to Filipino loved ones involved in PA relationships. We used a constructivist-interpretivist research paradigm and phenomenological methods to conduct 29 in-depth interviews with family members and friends. Findings indicate that participants considered it important to respond in ways that allowed them to maintain their connection with loved ones and support their welfare, and 2 types of response categories emerged: communication responses and actions taken. Findings illuminate the importance of working collaboratively with family and friends to cocreate definitions of PA as well as identify PA responses that consider a collective perspective on individual well-being and address the dynamic relationship, social, and cultural contexts in which family and friends respond.

Critical consciousness (CC) is a process of reflecting critically on how power is distributed and used in one's life contexts, including situations of abuse and oppression, and acquiring the skills and motivation to act to change these situations. Groups designed to foster CC have incorporated theoretically proposed components and group processes and results are promising. No empirical data to identify and validate these group processes, however, have been collected. The study purpose was to empirically identify facilitator and participant verbalizations, in a real-world group context, that evidenced engagement in theorized CC components. We transcribed 26 hr of audio-recorded group session interactions between facilitators and participants to identify exemplar verbalizations of theoretically derived CC components. We used a directed content qualitative analytic approach and hypothesis coding to analyze all transcripts. Participants included 16 female partner-violence survivors participating in a group career development intervention and 7 female group facilitators. Findings yielded exemplar facilitator and participant verbalizations for each CC component: group identification, dialogue, problem posing, identifying contradictions, power analysis, critical self-reflection, and liberation behavior. There are clear verbal interactions that group facilitators can use to promote CC; however, we also found theoretical variations regarding how facilitators and survivors engaged in each CC component. Findings show a need to learn more about the timing of CC component development, its measurement, and the influence of group composition on CC development.

Sharp increases in substance use and other risk behaviors during adolescence and young adulthood threaten the quality of the parent-child relationship, a critical context for positive adjustment and well-being. There is a dearth of research, however, on the influence of adolescent and young adult substance use on the parent-young adult relationship. Study aims were to examine longitudinally the associations between classes of adolescent and young adult alcohol and marijuana use, and the impact of alcohol and marijuana use on parent-young adult relationship dynamics and quality. We analyzed longitudinal data collected with a socioeconomically and racially diverse urban community sample of 593 parents and their children over 6 years to identify latent classes of growth in adolescent alcohol and marijuana use, and test for differences in young adult alcohol and marijuana use and parent-young adult relationship quality by latent classes. Structural equation modeling results showed that (a) alcohol and marijuana use during the middle school years predicted adult alcohol and marijuana use during young adulthood; (b) high-risk alcohol and marijuana use, specifically, was associated with poorer parent-young adult relationship quality; (c) initiation of marijuana use during young adulthood was also associated with poorer parent-young adult relationship quality; and (d) for minority youth in all alcohol risk classes, parent-young adult relationship quality was lower. Results show that growth in alcohol and marijuana use during adolescence, and initiation of marijuana use later in young adulthood, exert unique, detrimental effects on parent-young adult relationship quality. Implications for future research and prevention and intervention development for young adults are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of partner violence on women's employment and career development is profound. Career counselors may contribute substantially to these women's rehabilitation. This study examined employment and career counseling needs, barriers experienced, and counseling satisfaction of female survivors of partner violence (N = 71). The women participated in community‐ and research‐based individual career counseling services designed to promote their short‐ and long‐term career development. The authors conducted correlational, t‐test, and logistic regression analyses and found that barriers differed by race/ethnicity, age, number of children, and career service needs. Results provide important information about survivors' career counseling service access and needs.

Family-centered prevention is effective at reducing risk behavior throughout the life span and promoting healthy development. Despite research that suggests parents continue to play a significant role in the lives of their children during emerging adulthood, very few studies have examined effective family-centered strategies for preventing risk behavior in young adults. Typical prevention efforts for this age group have focused on college students and substance use prevention, with no integration of families or systems of support that may sustain the effects of the intervention. In this study, we evaluated a version of the Family Check-Up (FCU) that was adapted for young adults and their families, the Young Adult Family Check-Up (YA-FCU). Families were randomly assigned to receive the FCU or school as usual during the middle school years. Ten years later, they were offered the YA-FCU, which was adapted for families of emerging adult children. Intent-to-treat and complier average causal effect analyses were used to examine change in young adult risk behavior approximately 1year after receiving the YA-FCU. Analyses indicated that random assignment alone or simple engagement was not associated with reductions in young adult risk behavior. However, dose-response analyses indicated that the more hours that youth and families were engaged in the YA-FCU, the greater the reductions in young adult risk behavior relative to those who did not engage or engaged very little in the intervention, resulting in a medium effect size of the YA-FCU on risk behavior.

Emerging adulthood is characterized by not only opportunity and transition but also a substantial increase in risk behaviors (Fosco et al. Journal of Family Psychology, 26(4), 565-575, 2012; Johnston et al. 2016). Building on prior research, we tested a mediational model hypothesizing that Family Check-Up (FCU) intervention effects on young adult risk would be mediated by increases in self-regulation, and that these changes would continue to affect risk behavior as high school youths transitioned to young adulthood. We also predicted that the intent-to-treat intervention would be associated with lower levels of risk in young adulthood and that this effect would be accounted for by intervention-induced improvements in self-regulation during early adolescence, which in turn would prevent young adult risk. Participants were 593 adolescents and their families recruited from three public middle schools and randomized either to the FCU or to a control group. Item response theory was applied to construct a measure of high-risk behavior at this age, including risk behaviors such as substance abuse, high-risk sexual behavior, and vocational risk. Results suggested that changes in children's self-regulation that occurred early during the middle school years, and that were associated with the FCU, led to reductions in risk behaviors during young adulthood. This study builds on our prior research that has suggested that effects of the FCU during middle school lead to changes in a range of risk behaviors during the transition to high school (Fosco et al. Journal of School Psychology, 51(4), 455-468, 2013; Stormshak et al. School Mental Health, 2(2), 82-9, 2010).

Accurate identification of partner abuse (PA) victims and perpetrators is essential to secondary prevention of such violence. Important progress has been made regarding identification of female victims of PA but significantly less scholarly attention has been given to screening instruments that capture men’s PA experiences. The purpose of this article is to briefly review the history of PA screening methods/instruments used and to provide an organized critique of screening tools used with men today. A gender-inclusive approach was used to critique 8 PA screening tools along the following themes: theoretical/paradigmatic approach, language, abuse type, severity and frequency, format, and psychometric data. Strengths of the instruments included (a) use of gender-neutral language in item wording, (b) screening for multiple forms of PA, (c) assessment of frequency of violent acts, and (d) collection of psychometric data with men. Recommendations for future practice include a list of questions for clinicians to use when selecting a screening tool. These questions will assist clinicians and scholars to consider the strengths and limitations of each tool and make more informed choices about the instruments they are using to screen men. Future research recommendations included (a) a call to the field to use a gender-inclusive framework in developing PA screening tools, (b) for developers to clearly label and outline theories or paradigms used to develop instruments, and (c) to obtain psychometric data for diverse groups of men, across various settings (e.g., community mental health agencies, private practice, college campuses).

During the past few decades, scholars have focused their attention on investigating the impact of partner violence on women’s work activities, financial well-being, and employment stability. Significantly less is known about the impact of partner violence on women’s career development over time. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of partner violence on multiple facets of women’s career development at different stages of violence survival. Case study methods were used to examine career trajectories during and after long term abusive relationships for four professional women ages 45 to 55. Findings revealed that during abusive relationships, components of career development and career planning, daily work activities, career advancement, career identity, professional reputation, and opportunities for career advancement were disrupted and affected by partner’s abuse. In addition, abuse continued to affect women’s physical and mental health, financial stability, and support network, affecting their career trajectory over time.

Researchers have postulated associations between childhood trauma and delinquency, but few have examined the direction of these relationships prospectively and, specifically, with samples of delinquent girls. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between traumatic events and delinquency for girls in the juvenile justice system using a cross-lagged model. Developmental differences in associations as a function of high school entry status were also examined. The sample included 166 girls in the juvenile justice system who were mandated to community-based out-of-home care due to chronic delinquency. Overall, study results provide evidence that trauma and delinquency risk pathways vary according to high school entry status. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of dating violence on adolescent girls’ educational experiences and relationships with peers, family members, and school personnel. We used a constructivist–interpretivist research paradigm and conducted semistructured interviews with 19 adolescent female participants who experienced abuse from a dating partner during the past year. Using grounded theory analytical methods, findings included identification of specific types of abuse girls experienced in different contexts, what strategies girls used to cope with the abuse, how girls made meaning of their abuse experiences, and the subsequent consequences of the abuse on girls’ health, relationships, self-concepts, and school experiences. Implications for school- and family-based interventions and dating violence research are provided.

The purpose of this study was to adapt and experimentally test the effectiveness of a research-based, employment-focused group counseling intervention (OPTIONS). OPTIONS was designed to increase male inmates’ exploration and identification of employment interests and options, identification and development of employment-search skills, and knowledge of vocational options, goal planning, and identification and use of contextual supports. A randomized block design and measurements at pretest, posttest, and 1-month follow-up were used to examine the effects of OPTIONS. Participants included 77 ( n = 38 treatment, n = 39 control) adult male inmates. Results indicated that OPTIONS participants had higher career search self-efficacy, problem solving, and hopefulness scores at posttest and follow-up than did treatment-as-usual control group participants.

In this rejoinder, the authors respond to the three reactions by Brown, Lent, and Knoll; McWhirter; and Morgan. We begin by discussing illegal work and desistance and how vocational psychology may inform these areas. We then acknowledge the challenges in working with criminal justice populations and describe how counseling psychologists may overcome these challenges. We conclude by encouraging counseling psychologists to persist through challenges and pursue excellence in applying vocational theories and best practices to promote the positive career development of offenders.