Intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs between two individuals who have formerly been or are currently in an intimate relationship. IPV includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats of physical or sexual violence, and emotional abuse (Kernic, Wolf, & Holt, 2000; Rennison & Welchans, 2000). Experiencing IPV is associated with a serious impact on psychological health (Afifi, MacMillan, Cox, Asmundson, Stein, & Sareen, 2008; Calvete, Corral , & EstΘvez, 2008). Research on other forms of trauma indicates that experiential avoidance (EA) plays an important role in psychological distress and psychopathology. Thus, it was hypothesized that EA would play a key role in the impact of IPV. Using the Baron and Kenny (1986) method, the current study examined whether EA was a mediator between IPV severity and psychological distress, and whether EA was a mediator between IPV severity and PTSD symptomology, more specifically. In addition, mediational analyses were run to determine if suppression changed the relationships between IPV severity and psychological distress, or IPV severity and PTSD symptomology. Using the same methods, EA and suppression were both also examined as mediators between psychological/verbal abuse severity and psychological distress, and between psychological/verbal abuse severity and PTSD symptomology. No significant results were found in a treatment sample. However, several mediations and partial mediations were found in an undergraduate sample. These findings are likely to impact treatment of individuals who have experienced IPV and demonstrate the utility of acceptance and mindfulness based interventions such as ACT with this population.

The purpose of this study was to uncover the methadone counseling process among recovering and non-recovering chemical dependency counselors by examining the concepts and techniques utilized throughout the counseling process. This study examined whether the recovery status of a counselor affected the counselor's theoretical addiction model and the concepts and techniques that were utilized throughout the counseling process.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Families are often confronted with some type of crisis during their family life cycle, and the presence of an adolescent substance abuser in the family could result in a family crisis. Most studies focus on the negative implications of substance abuse (Flisher, Parry, Evans, Muller, & Lombard, 2003; Parry et al., 2004). More recently, however, researchers have begun to move away from the pathogenic approach to a more strengths-based approach. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate which factors are associated with family resilience in families with an adolescent substance abuser. Given the complexity of resilience, the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1988) was operationalised in this study to identify which variables could be associated with family resilience. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to gather data from a convenience sample of 50 families drawn from the Western Cape, South Africa. In order to control for gender effects, mothers who had in their families an adolescent substance abuser were encouraged to represent their respective families. A biographical questionnaire and seven quantitative self-report questionnaires were completed by each participant. Pearson product-moment correlations were calculated for the quantitative data in order to determine which independent variables (family factors) were associated with the dependent variable (family adaptation). A best-subsets multiple regression analysis was done to determine the linear combination of family characteristics (indicators) that correlates maximally with family adaptation (outcome variable). Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns or themes within the qualitative data during the qualitative data analysis. The results indicate that the level of family adaptation is better the higher the supportive patterns of communication in the family unit; and that the level of family adaptation is lower the more negative communication patterns are present. The results also indicate that family hardiness, the degree to which families use problem-solving and behaviour strategies during crises, and the use and maintenance of different routines and activities facilitate family adaptation. The qualitative results indicate that spirituality or religion, support from extended family, friends or neighbours, clear positive family communication, maintaining hope and a positive outlook, and the acceptance of the adolescent as part of the family contribute the most to family adaptation. The findings of this study could be used to improve the understanding of qualities that help families to adapt, and interventions and services based on these results may provide a meaningful contribution in the adaptation of families who find themselves in similar situations. This study not only is important to broaden the current literature on family resilience in this development phase, but also to help fill the void in current research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit gebeur gereeld dat gesinne gedurende een of ander ontwikkelingstadium met ʼn krisis gekonfronteer word. So sal die teenwoordigheid van ’n adolessente middelmisbruiker in ’n gesin op moontlike gesinskrisisse dui. Die meerderheid studies fokus op die negatiewe implikasies van middelmisbruik (Flisher, Parry, Evans, Muller, & Lombard, 2003; Parry et al., 2004). Navorsers het egter onlangs begin weg beweeg vanaf die patogeniese benadering na ’n meer sterkte-gebaseerde benadering. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om ondersoek in te stel na faktore wat geassosieer kan word met gesinsaanpassing in gesinne met ʼn adolessente middelmisbruiker. Gegee die kompleksiteit van veerkragtigheid is die Veerkragtigheidsmodel van Gesinstres, Verstelling en Aanpassing (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1988) in hierdie studie geoperasionaliseer om veranderlikes te identifiseer wat met gesinsveerkragtigheid geassosieer kan word. ʼn Kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metodes is gebruik om data vanuit ’n doelgerigte steekproef van 50 gesinne woonagtig in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika in te samel. Om vir die effek van geslag te kontroleer, is ma’s aangemoedig om namens die gesinne as verteenwoordigers aan die studie deel te neem. ʼn Biografiese vraelys en ook sewe selfbeskrywingsvraelyste is deur elke deelnemer voltooi. Vir die kwantitatiewe data is Pearson produkmoment-korrelasies bereken om te bepaal watter onafhanklike veranderlikes (gesinsfaktore) met die afhanklike veranderlike (gesinsaanpassing) verband hou. ʼn Beste substel regressieontleding is gedoen om die liniêre kombinasie van gesinskenmerke (voorspellers) wat maksimaal met gesinsaanpassing (uitkomsveranderlike) korreleer, te bepaal. Tematiese ontleding is in die kwalitatiewe data-ontleding gebruik om patrone of temas binne die kwalitatiewe data te identifiseer. Die resultate dui daarop dat die vlak van gesinsaanpassing beter is hoe hoër die ondersteunende patrone van kommunikasie in die gesinseenheid is; en dat die vlak van gesinsaanpassing laer is hoe meer opruiende patrone van kommunikasie in die gesin teenwoordig is. Verder dui die resultate ook aan dat gesinsgehardheid, die mate van probleemoplossings- en gedragstrategieë wat die gesin gedurende krisisse gebruik, en die gebruik en handhawing van verskillende roetines en aktiwiteite ook gesinsaanpassing fasiliteer. Die kwalitatiewe resultate dui daarop dat spiritualiteit of geloof, ondersteuning van die uitgebreide familie, vriende of bure, duidelike positiewe gesinskommunikasie, die behoud van hoop en ’n positiewe uitkyk, en aanvaarding van die adolessent as deel van die gesin die meeste tot gesinsaanpassing bygedra het. Die bevindinge kan nuttig gebruik word om begrip te verbeter van kwaliteite wat gesinne help om aan te pas. Intervensies en dienste wat op hierdie bevindinge gebaseer is, behoort ʼn betekenisvolle bydra te lewer in die aanpassing van gesinne wat hulle in soortgelyke omstandighede bevind. Die studie is nie net belangrik om die kennisbasis oor gesinslewe in hierdie ontwikkelingsfase te verbreed nie, maar ook om ʼn leemte in bestaande navorsing aan te vul.

This research project addresses the substance abuse cycle intervention and prevention strategies used amongst individuals who are a part of generational substance abuse. Participants were recruited from an inpatient drug rehabilitation center in Southern California. Qualitative interviews were conducted in order to gain additional knowledge on this topic. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and then analyzed by the researcher. Participants’ first hand experiences contributed to a better understanding of effective ways to address this cycle. The results consisted of the following themes: childhood substance abuse, environmental influence, Child Protective Services involvement, problem recognition, structure, counseling, relationships, higher power, positive attitude and hope for the future. Contributions to social work practice are discussed along with recommendations for future research. Findings were given to California State University, San Bernardino and were provided to the drug rehabilitation center used in this study.

Although researchers have studied perceptions regarding sexually abused children, little was known about how other types of abusive events were perceived. This study examined 480 college students' abuse history and perceptions of child, spousal, and elder abuse by varying the respondent, victim, and perpetrator genders. Physical abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect were investigated. Perceptions of abusiveness, seriousness, harm, and responsibility were examined, along with the extent of identification with the victims/perpetrators. Participants viewed spousal abuse as less serious and harmful than other abuse types, especially when perpetrated against a male or by a female. Although able to recognize psychological abuse, students did not fully understand what other abuse types entailed. Individuals also showed a considerable amount of blame toward victims. Results further demonstrated important findings about how ethnic identity/orientation, religious affiliation, and history of abuse related to perceptions of abusive events.

An existing body of research indicates that peer-on-peer abuse, involving the physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse of young people by their peers, is an issue of serious concern within the UK. Whilst a range of studies have explored the individual and familial vulnerabilities associated with this phenomenon, there is an increasing recognition of the need to also consider the relationship between young people‟s peer groups, and other pertinent social fields, to their experiences of such abuse. This thesis offers an original contribution to the field by explicitly seeking to develop this contextual approach. It applies an age-specific and gendered interpretation of Bourdieu‟s constructivist structuralism (and specifically the concepts of field, habitus and symbolic violence) to the analysis of nine cases where young people raped or murdered their peers. In doing so, it offers a unique, in-depth, exploration of the interaction between individuals and the social fields that they navigate, in the context of nine abusive incidents. This methodological approach demonstrates how harmful norms underpinning these incidents are informed by a multi-way interplay between various social fields and young people‟s reflexive engagement with this process. It is through this interplay that motives and power hierarchies are established, and gender, age, consent, culpability, vulnerability and ultimately safety, are socially constructed and experienced.

No description available.

This thesis reports on a discourse analysis of thirteen qualitative interviews with male survivors of sexual abuse. My analysis focuses on participants' changing experiences and understandings of what it means to be 'masculine', and how they saw these having been influenced by the experience of being abused. An important finding was that many participants expressed concern regarding their invisibility as male survivors, noting that contemporary discourses on violence typically position men as its perpetrators, rather than its victims. I analyze the significance of the absence of a discourse of male victimization in terms both of its practical implications for male survivors and its theoretical implications for critical work on hegemonic masculinity. Based on the premise that hegemonic masculinity is a cornerstone of patriarchal systems, I conclude by using the experiences of my participants as a means of exploring the potential for men to experience 'oppression' under patriarchy.

The present study is an exploratory analysis of associations among sexual orientation, childhood abuse, and characteristics of both early and current family environment in a sample of 80 inpatient trauma survivors. Participants were administered a background information questionnaire, Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, the Family Environment Scale and other instruments not analyzed in the current study. Multi-type abuse was significantly associated with low expressiveness and independence and high control in the early family, but no associations emerged with current family characteristics. Results suggest that the intergenerational transmission of family organization and moral-religious orientation occurred in the entire sample, and the transmission of family conflict patterns occurred only in the L/G/B group. Overall, participants perceived improvements in their current family environments compared to their early family environments. Findings yield support for the sexual minority stress model and mixed support for the intergenerational transmission of family characteristics.

Thesis advisor: Rebekah Levine Coley / Substance abuse and dependence are among the nation's leading health issues, leading to more illnesses, disabilities, and deaths than any other modifiable health condition. Substance use among youth is of particular concern, as rates are higher than among any other age group and because early use is associated with a higher risk of later abuse and dependence and a higher incidence of related risk-taking behavior. Thus, a better understanding of the causes of substance use problems is a central issue. The primary goal of this study was to examine genetic and environmental predictors of youth alcohol and drug abuse and dependence. This study expands upon extant research by being the first to utilize a genetic risk score (GRS) approach to examine the joint effect of four dopaminergic genetic polymorphisms on substance abuse and dependence, by incorporating cumulative measures of environmental risk and promotive factors, and by examining gene-environment interactions (GxEs) and gender differences in substance use predictors, thus allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of environmental and genetic influences than has previously been attempted. Analyses were conducted on a national longitudinal sample of 1,396 Caucasian youth who participated in surveys and DNA sampling in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, with individuals followed from adolescence (ages 12-18) into early adulthood (ages 24-32). Logistic regression analyses examined main and interactive effects of cumulative environmental risk and promotive factors and genetic risk scores on clinically significant alcohol and drug abuse and dependence in early adulthood. Analyses were conducted separately for males and females to examine gender differences in substance use predictors. Results show that a dopaminergic GRS index significantly predicted the likelihood that female, but not male, youth will meet clinical criteria for substance abuse and dependence, even after accounting for cumulative environmental influences. No evidence of GxE was found. These results provide a better understanding of the etiology of substance abuse and dependence and provide evidence of the utility of GRS methods for studying genetic influences on substance use behaviors. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2012. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology.