Internet-Based Intervention to Improve Mental Health Outcomes for Abused Women

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is well established as a widespread problem with important negative physical and mental health, social and cost consequences for victims, their families and the community. Beyond the physical conditions associated with IPV, research has consistently demonstrated a strong association between experiencing IPV and increased rates of anxiety, depression, low-self esteem, substance abuse and suicidality. Increasing abused women's safety and reducing ongoing exposure to violence is key to minimizing such consequences. Building from the empowerment framework, safety planning interventions focus on protecting women from exposure to repeat violence. However, despite the significant evidence of the negative outcomes of IPV and the complex individual and community factors that influence safety, little is known about what interventions improve the safety and mental health outcomes of abused women. While experimental trials are beginning, to date there has not been a trial to examine the effectiveness of safety planning, a cornerstone of IPV interventions, on exposure to repeat violence, safety, and mental health outcomes for women. An internet-based safety decision aid may assist abused women in weighing risks and benefits of safety options, assessing danger, and identifying the factors that are most important in their safety decisions. Further, it provides personalized links with community mental health and domestic violence resources, which are invaluable in assisting women in planning for safety, thereby reducing the immediate and long terms risk of negative mental health consequences of violence. Women who consent to participate in this study and who have access to a safe computer (e.g. at home, work, community agency, friend/family) will be randomized to the intervention or control group. If a woman is randomized into the intervention group, she will complete the internet-based safety decision aid program. The decision aid program will be located on a confidential password protected and secured study website and will take approximately 60 minutes to complete. Participants will first be asked demographic and relationship questions as well as questions about their ability to make decisions about safety in their relationship. Next, participants will be asked to make a series of comparisons to determine the importance of specific factors such as: keeping the abuse private, safety of self, family and children, feelings for partner, resources such as housing and employment and maintaining norms within family, to safety decisions. Participants will then be asked questions specific to risk factors for violence and safety seeking behaviors in their relationship. After completion, the safety decision aid generates results to provide an individualized safety plan to the participant. Women randomized into the control group will access the confidential and password protected control website which includes a brief assessment of risk factors and their history of violence, and will provide a list of local resources, but not an individualized safety plan. Both intervention and control group participants will then complete a series of instruments to measure intimate partner violence, mental health outcomes, and safety seeking behaviors. Each participant will have a skilled and trained research assistant available by phone or email to assist them in understanding questions, interpreting the results, developing strategies for safety and providing referrals for community-based services. Follow up sessions on the study website will be conducted at 3, 6, and 12 months post-baseline. Participants will be encouraged by the RA through phone or email contact to access the password-protected website to complete the internet session and follow-up assessment questions. Post-baseline questions will be the same as the baseline, but will focus on outcomes since the previous internet session.