The Domestic Violence Survivor Assessment (DVSA): a tool for individual counseling with women experiencing intimate partner violence

Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2007 Aug;28(8):913-25. doi: 10.1080/01612840701493493.

Abstract

The Domestic Violence Survivor Assessment (DVSA) was developed to measure survivor movement toward a violence free life over time. This paper reports our testing of the validity and reliability of the DVSA. Exploratory factor analysis (n = 162) found a single factor explaining 66% of the variance. Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that physical abuse severity, survivor and perpetrator substance abuse, economic and citizenship dependency, and children under 18 at home explained 10% of the variance p > .05. A second model examined the strength of interventions for survivors, controlling for influencing factors; R(2) was.24 (p < .001). The strongest interventions were individual counseling (p < .001) and resource referrals and other services (p < .05). The DVSA was found to have construct validity, sensitivity to change over time, and reliability. A county agency that adopted the DVSA evaluated its programs using the DVSA change scores and used this evaluation for program improvement.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Counseling*
  • Domestic Violence* / prevention & control
  • Domestic Violence* / psychology
  • Domestic Violence* / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Sexual Partners*
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / therapy
  • Surveys and Questionnaires*
  • Survivors / psychology*
  • Survivors / statistics & numerical data*