Advancing Prevention Research on Child Abuse, Youth Violence, and Domestic Violence: Emerging Strategies and Issues

• NCJ Number: 205925
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2004 Pages: 299-321
• Author(s): Neil B. Guterman
• Editor(s): Jon R. Conte
• Date Published: March 2004
• Length: 23 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines some of the persistent methodological issues related to prevention research in the areas of child abuse, youth violence, and domestic violence, as well as pointing out emerging research strategies that are forging advances in the prevention of interpersonal violence.

Abstract

Over the last few decades, prevention research concerning child abuse, youth violence, and domestic violence has accelerated. Interpersonal violence prevention strategies and practices rely heavily on advances in empirical research. Empirical research has recently forged some important advances in illuminating underlying causal patterns leading to child abuse, youth violence, and domestic violence. However, researchers have encountered some shared methodological challenges in trying to develop useful and rigorous knowledge to aid in the prevention of these forms of interpersonal violence. This article considers some of the emerging research strategies and issues in the efforts to advance the violence prevention knowledge base. It focuses on three important domains of concern that challenge researchers in gaining valid, rigorous, and useful information: (1) addressing measurement and related conceptual issues in defining “violence” as a target for preventive efforts; (2) designing research studies that advance the capacity to assess for risk and to predict future violence; and (3) applying research to forge advances in intervention practices to prevent violence. Prevention strategies are acknowledged as central to achieve long-lasting and meaningful progress in reducing the levels of violence within the broader society. The degree to which intervention researchers can locate shared risk and protective factors across varying forms of interpersonal violence and then translate them into effective practice principles will significantly determine the degree to which the promise of prevention becomes realized. References