The purpose of this study is to determine social factors that influence help seeking behaviors by mothers who are concurrently involved in two social service systems: Child Protective Services (CPS) and family violence advocacy programs. Through the application of the behavioral model (of service use) for vulnerable populations, this study seeks to determine predisposing, enabling and need characteristics that impact help seeking behaviors at a family violence agency after participation in an ADVANCE (Acknowledging Domestic Violence and Navigating Child Protection Effectively) course, a group intervention class developed specifically for women involved with CPS. The research design is a mixed-method approach with an ADVANCE course evaluation embedded within the overall analysis of help seeking behaviors. The analytic strategies include pre-test/post-test means comparisons through paired t-tests, qualitative thematic analysis through arts-based methodology, and ordinary least squares and logistic regression analysis. This study considers six outcome variables related to protective help seeking behaviors: seeking services, seeking protective actions related to children, seeking a safety plan, seeking a protective order, seeking safe housing, and seeking financial independence. Several social factors identified influenced help seeking behaviors amongst child welfare involved women experiencing violence, namely, number of children, age of children, level of interest in services, previous participation in services, level of social support, perceived victim status, perceived need for a safety plan, and perceived need for change in family. This study should serve to enhance intervention practices utilized by both family violence advocates and child welfare professionals.

Thesis (M. A.)--University of Notre Dame, 2005. / Thesis directed by E. Mark Cummings for the Department of Psychology. "July 2005." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-82).

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2007 / Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Social Work. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 25-32, 54-62, 86-94).

Thesis (M.A.(Hons.))--Griffith University, 2003. / Title from title page of document; viewed 1/5/2007. "October 2003" Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-83).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, November, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Minnesota, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-187).

Thesis (Ph.D.) --Murdoch University, 2002. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Health Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-215).

Zugl.: Berlin, Humboldt-Univ., Diss., 2007

Zugl.: Frankfurt (Oder), Europa-Univ., Diss., 2007