Evaluation of a Group Intervention for Women and Children Experiencing Domestic Violence

Year Awarded: 2004
Project Leaders:
Alytia Levendosky, MSU Department of Psychology, Clarissa Agee Shavers, MSU College of Nursing, Stacie Dubay, End Violent Encounters (EVE, Inc.)

Project Description:
Domestic violence, defined as male violence against their female partners, is a significant public health concern in the United States today. Most interventions for families with DV outside of shelters are focused on male batterers. DV shelters often provide group counseling and support services for battered women and children residing there, but the programs do not reach the majority of women living in the broader community.

As a way to meet the needs of such families, EVE, Inc., and the MSU Department of Psychology and College of Nursing have partnered to offer outreach groups focusing on mothers and children. The goal of the project is to evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of an intervention designed to improve the emotional, behavioral, and psychological well-being of women and children experiencing domestic violence.

Three support groups will be offered: one for mothers, one for children aged 6 to 12, and one for children aged 3 to 6. The support groups focus specifically on topics related to family relationships, including building and strengthening effective family communication, empathy, parenting skills, identifying feelings about domestic violence, and healthy conflict resolution.

Recent Developments: (Article from Forum, June-August 2004)