Elements of Effective Interventions for Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Latina Women: A Systematic Review

Abstract

BackgroundIntimate partner violence remains a global problem and is of particular concern in Latina diasporas.AimTo identify effective elements of interventions to address intimate partner violence in Latina women.MethodThe systematic review was undertaken according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We focused the search on intervention studies assessing intimate partner violence as an outcome measure and on publications in English and Spanish from the last 11 years (2004–2015).ResultsDespite the scope of the problem, from the 1,274 studies screened only four met the search criteria and only a single study included an exclusive Latino population. Of the four interventions, one was only as effective as the control treatment. Heterogeneity of study populations and designs prohibited meta-analytic methods.ConclusionsTheoretically derived interventions that are gender specific, culturally appropriate, target mutual aid through group dynamics, and that are developed collaboratively with the target population are likely to be most effective.

Responding to intimate partner violence: Healthcare providers' current practices and views on integrating a safety decision aid into primary care settings

“…As such, there is a great need not only for improving identification and response to IPV disclosure for women overall, but even more so for those who are disproportionately affected by severe violence and at greater risk for lethal violence by an abusive partner. There is a dearth of linguistically and culturally appropriate interventions to empower Latinas in decision‐making about their safety and seeking help, whether from informal or formal systems such as primary care clinics (Alvarez, Davidson, Fleming, & Glass, ). Having myPlan available in primary care settings for women experiencing abuse would contribute to women‐centered care and empower Latina women to develop their plan of care for safety and reduced IPV within a supportive environment.…”

A Pilot Study with Spanish-Speaking Latina Survivors of Domestic Violence Comparing EMDR & TF-CBT Group Interventions

“…Factors that affect the risk of IPV include socioeconomic status, prior IPV exposure and childhood abuse, economic and living conditions, existing political climate, and sociocultural norms or customs; conflict resolution strategies and relationship status [4]. Alvarez, Davidson, Fleming, and Glass [5] identified additional risk factors to IPV within the Latino population including immigration status, machismo (cultural belief that malesshould dominate relationships), and acculturation stress.…”

“…Latinos, persons of Hispanic descent, are one of the most rapidly growing populations in the United States [5] comprising about 16% of the population [6]. Thirty-seven percent of Hispanic women in the United States report being the victim of IPV in their lifetime [7].…”

“…Latina women are more likely to experience more severe adverse effects from IPV than are non-Latina white women [5] though when variables such as age, alcohol use, location, and family history are controlled, these differences disappear [8]. Since some Latina women are not able to access evidence-based interventions for IPV, the authors stressed the importance of developing interventions that are culturally and linguistically appropriate to empower Latinas to overcome barriers to seeking help [5]. In this article, IPV means both interpersonal violence and domestic violence, and the terms Hispanic and Latina are used interchangeably.…”

Prevalence and Perpetrators of Domestic Violence against Adolescents in Rivers State.

“…Domestic violence (DV) has been recognized as a global public health problem affecting various individuals including adolescents with its attendant negative effects. According to Alvarez Davidson, Fleming and Glass (2016), the phenomenon has attracted careful attention from numerous national and international establishments, yet its prevalence is increasing on a daily basis and has continued to be a persistent social problem cutting across religious, racial and cultural borders. World Health Organization [WHO] (2017) revealed that domestic violence against adolescents progresses to domestic violence in adult relationship hence the need to break the cycle.…”