Spousal/Partner Abuse Detection and Intervention

This course meets the California pre-licensure requirement for Spousal/Partner Abuse Detection and Intervention (15 clock hours) for Psychologists, MFTs, LCSWs, and LPCCs.

This course is based on three CEmobile courses:

• Family Violence: Explanations and Evidence-Based Clinical Practice
• Systematic Review of Trauma-Focused Interventions for Domestic Violence Survivors
• Sexual Violence Prevention.

Course Description: This course examines the major issues and current controversies in the field, provides background information on each type of family violence, and offers strategies for combating domestic abuse. In an informative discussion designed to enhance counselors’ ability to assess and treat each type of family violence, this course covers both well-recognized forms of maltreatment, such as the abuse of women, and less understood issues, such as female-on-male intimacy violence, same-sex violence, and dating violence and stalking. Case studies throughout the text illustrate clinical applications in action.

In addition, while there are numerous interventions designed to reduce trauma-induced mental health symptoms, most were originally developed to address events that have occurred in the past (e.g., combat, childhood sexual abuse). This course reviews the trauma-based treatments that have been designed or modified specifically for intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors and provides cautions and recommendations for moving forward.

Finally, this course includes a select group of strategies based on the best available evidence to help communities and states sharpen their focus on prevention activities with the greatest potential to reduce sexual violence (SV) and its consequences. These strategies focus on promoting social norms that protect against violence; teaching skills to prevent SV; providing opportunities, both economic and social, to empower and support girls and women; creating protective environments; and supporting victims/survivors to lessen harms.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the prevalence, economic costs, types, and cultural issues of family violence
• Discuss major explanations for family violence, including those models that influence treatment, such as social cognitive theory, feminist theory, and attachment theory
• Describe specific cultural factors and explanations that influence the manner by which family violence is maintained, interpreted, and addressed clinically
• Analyze male-on-female intimacy violence, including risk and protective factors, abuser typologies, consequences for victims, and treatment implications
• Analyze female-on-male intimacy violence, including risk and protective factors, abuser typologies, consequences for victims, and treatment implications
• Analyze the assessment and treatment for intimate partner offenders and for victims of intimate partner violence
• Discuss issues related to dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as well as treatment and prevention
• Analyze the effectiveness of modifying cognitive behavioral therapy for IPV survivors
• Analyze the effectiveness of trauma treatments for specific groups of IPV survivors
• Analyze the effectiveness of integrative interventions that address trauma for IPV survivors
• Describe preventative actions to achieve the goal of preventing sexual violence
• Describe specific ways to advance the strategy for preventing sexual violence
• Analyze the evidence for each of the approaches in preventing sexual violence

Course Components:

• Textbook (NOT included, must be purchased separately by participant)
  - Required textbook: David M. Lawson. (2013). Family Violence: Explanations and Evidence-Based Clinical Practice. American Counseling Association.
  - Note: This course does not cover chapters 11-13 from the Family Violence textbook, so you do not need to read these chapters to receive course credit.
  - Available at Amazon and other sources
• Online text (included): Sexual Violence Prevention (2016) and Systematic Review of Trauma-Focused Interventions for Domestic Violence Survivors (2013)
• Multiple choice online exam (included)
• Electronic certificate of completion (free)

We allow you to obtain the textbook on your own to afford you greater flexibility. You can borrow from the library or a friend, or purchase a new or used copy for yourself or with a group of friends.

Course Credit(s): 15 CE Credits or Hours

Course Format: Book-Based and Online Text (format of this course is noninteractive)

Course Schedule: Self-paced

Course Author(s): David M. Lawson, PhD, Carole Warshaw, MD, Cris M. Sullivan, PhD, Kathleen C. Basile, PhD, Sarah DeGue, PhD, Kathryn Jones, MSW, Kimberley Freire, PhD, Jenny Dills, MPH, Sharon G. Smith, PhD, Jerris L. Raiford, PhD

Content Publisher(s): American Counseling Association; National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Course Author(s) Qualifications:

Dr. Lawson is a professor in the Department of Human Services and teaches in the master’s program in clinical mental health and the doctoral program in school psychology at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He also maintains a private practice working primarily with survivors of interpersonal trauma.

Dr. Warshaw is Director, National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health, and the Executive Director, Domestic Violence & Mental Health Policy Initiative

Dr. Sullivan is Professor of Ecological/Community Psychology and Director of the Research Consortium on Gender-based Violence at Michigan State University. She is also a Senior Fellow of MSU’s Office on Outreach and Engagement.

Dr. Basile serves as the Lead Behavioral Scientist of the Sexual Violence and Child Maltreatment Team in the Research and Evaluation Branch of the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. She served as acting team lead of the Etiology Team and then served as permanent team lead for seven years before the division reorganized and she moved to lead the Sexual Violence and Child Maltreatment Team in the Research and Evaluation Branch of DVP. Dr. Basile received her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Alfred University in Alfred, NY, and her Master of Arts and doctorate degrees in sociology from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. She has authored or coauthored more than 80 presentations, journal articles, chapters, reports, and other publications.

Dr. DeGue is a Behavioral Scientist at the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Kathryn Jones is a Senior Program Analyst of the CDC’s Classifications and Public Health Data Standards Staff, National Center for Health Statistics.

Dr. Freire is a Behavioral Scientist at the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Dr. Dills is a Health Scientist at the Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Course Level: Beginning/Introductory, Intermediate, Advanced

CEmobile, LLC, #1558, is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) www.aswb.org, through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. CEmobile, LLC maintains responsibility for the program. ASWB Approval Period: 5/2/2018-5/2/2021. Social workers should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval for continuing education credits.
Social workers participating in this course will receive 15 clinical continuing education clock hours.