Gender-Based ViolenceI-DECIDE: An Online Intervention Drawing on the Psychosocial Readiness Model for Women Experiencing Domestic Violence
Section snippets
Interventions for DV
I-DECIDE is informed by pilot work on an online DV intervention conducted in the United States (Glass et al., 2010; the IRIS Project). To our knowledge, IRIS is the first such intervention developed to date, with similar interventions being developed in New Zealand (Koziol-McLain et al., 2015) and Canada (NCT02258841). Drawing on the theoretical framework of empowerment (Dutton, 1992), the U.S. intervention focuses on reducing decisional conflict, while also increasing safety behaviors.
Causal Pathway for the I-DECIDE Intervention
It can be difficult to determine what outcomes a DV intervention should target, whatever the mode of delivery (Hegarty et al., 2008, O'Doherty et al., 2014). A goal of reducing exposure to violence may be unrealistic for a brief intervention in the short term. Moreover, Chang et al. (2010) have demonstrated that leaving the abusive partner may also be an unreliable measure of an intervention's success, because women may leave only to return again after a period of time. O'Doherty et al. (2014)
I-DECIDE: An Online Healthy Relationship Tool and Safety Decision Aid for Women Experiencing DV
The I-DECIDE intervention will be evaluated through a randomized, controlled trial in 2015 and 2016, comparing its effectiveness to a comparison website that represents minimum safe practice (basic resources and a generic emergency safety plan). The I-DECIDE trial is described in detail elsewhere, including recruitment and screening protocols (Hegarty et al., 2015). In brief, women aged between 16 and 50 who respond to advertisements on popular websites and social media asking if they feel
Implications for Practice and/or Policy
The theoretical journey described may assist other researchers developing interventions addressing DV, particularly in terms of how theory can be effectively harnessed and applied to develop an intervention. It may also be useful to those working to develop online interventions in other sensitive areas, because it explores the possibility of providing social support without face-to-face contact by using messaging developed in conjunction with the target user group. The I-DECIDE healthy
Conclusion
This article has outlined the theoretical and conceptual background to I-DECIDE, an online intervention for women experiencing DV. It has emphasized how the PRM can provide a useful framework for DV interventions through targeting awareness, self-efficacy, and perceived support. Furthermore, the model's emphasis on the changeable and fluid nature of women's decision making and journey to change mirrors reality for many women (Feder, Hutson, Ramsay, & Taket, 2006); this may make it easier for
Laura Tarzia, PhD, is a sociologist and a research fellow at the Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne. Her research interests include violence against women and technological interventions. She is currently coordinating the development and evaluation of I-DECIDE.
References (54)
- et al.
Primary care-based interventions for intimate partner violence
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
(2014) - et al.
Social cognitive theory of posttraumatic recovery: The role of self-efficacy
Behaviour Research & Therapy
(2004) - et al.
The process of change for victims of intimate partner violence: Support for a psychosocial readiness model
Women's Health Issues
(2006) - et al.
Intimate partner violence and women's physical and mental health in the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence: An observational study
Lancet
(2008) - et al.
Stages of change-based nursing interventions for victims of interpersonal violence
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecological and Neonatal Nursing
(2003) - et al.
Effect of screening and brief counselling for abused women on quality of life, safety planning and mental health: A primary care cluster randomised controlled trial (weave)
Lancet
(2013) - et al.
Screening and counselling in the primary care setting for women who have experienced intimate partner violence (WEAVE): A cluster randomised controlled trial
Lancet
(2013) - et al.
Overcoming the barriers to disclosure and inquiry of partner abuse for women attending general practice
Australia and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
(2001) - et al.
Self-management problem solving for adolescents with type 1 diabetes: Intervention processes associated with an Internet program
Patient Education and Counseling
(2011) - et al.
Selecting outcomes for intimate partner violence intervention trials: Overview and recommendations
Aggression and Violent Behavior
(2014)
Women's journey to safety—The Transtheoretical model in clinical practice when working with women experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: A scientific review and clinical guidance
Patient Education and Counseling
Computer-based psychological treatments for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Clinical Psychological Review
Are men and women equally violent to intimate partners?
Australia and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
'Sometimes cathartic. Sometimes quite raw': Benefit and harm in an intimate partner violence trial
Aggression and Violent Behavior
Intimate partner violence: What are the impacts on children?
Australian Psychologist
The contemplation ladder: Validation of a measure of readiness to consider smoking cessation
Health Psychology
Nursing assessment for risk of homicide with battered women
Advances in Nursing Science
Risk factors for femicide in abusive relationships: Results from a multisite case control study
American Journal of Public Health
Understanding turning points in intimate partner violence: Factors and circumstances leading women victims toward change
Journal of Women's Health (Larchmont)
Delivering interventions for depression by using the internet: Randomised controlled trial
BMJ
Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Vol. CETS no.210)
Empowering and healing the battered woman
Patients were more consistent in randomized trial at prioritizing childbirth preferences using graphic-numeric than verbal formats
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Researching violence against women: A practical guide for researchers and activists
Help-seeking amongst women survivors of domestic violence: A qualitative study of pathways towards formal and informal support
Health Expectations
Women exposed to intimate partner violence: Expectations and experiences when they encounter health care professionals: A meta-analysis of qualitative studies
Archives of Internal Medicine
Cited by (0)
Laura Tarzia, PhD, is a sociologist and a research fellow at the Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne. Her research interests include violence against women and technological interventions. She is currently coordinating the development and evaluation of I-DECIDE.
Elizabeth Murray, PhD, is a general practitioner and academic based within the e-Health Unit, Department of Primary Care & Population Health, at University College London. Her work focuses on use of new technologies (such as the Internet and mobile phones) to improve health and health care.
Cathy Humphreys, PhD, is based at the Department of Social Work at The University of Melbourne. She specializes in research on domestic and family violence with a particular emphasis on issues involving children living with violence.
Nancy Glass, PhD, is Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins Centre for Global Health. She conducts community-based interventions with diverse populations. She is PI of studies to test employment, economic empowerment, and safety interventions for survivors of gender-based violence and their families.
Angela Taft, PhD, is Director of the Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Australia. She is a public health social scientist whose major focus is women's health. She leads the center’s research program on intimate partner/gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health.
Jodie Valpied, BA, MEd, PGDip(Psych), is a researcher in the Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, specializing in researching sensitive issues, specifically intimate partner violence. She has a background in psychology and teaching.
Kelsey Hegarty, PhD, is an academic general practitioner, Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne. She leads an Abuse and Violence research program. Her current research includes interventions to prevent and respond to violence against women. She is the PI on I-DECIDE.
Funding: This work was funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant, DP 130102799.