Assessing Woman Battering in Mental Health Services / Edition 1

by Edward W. Gondolf

Overview

Assessing Woman Battering in Mental Health Services challenges traditional mental health approaches to domestic violence and offers alternative strategies and procedures to improve the response to battered women. The book is a guide to the conceptual and practical issues associated with identifying and assessing battered women in mental health services. Edward W. Gondolf draws from research on mental health assessment and his own surveys of battered women's services to illustrate these issues. The expertise of battered women advocates is used to develop answers to critical assessment issues. Beyond a how-to book, Assessing Woman Battering in Mental Health Services discusses the issues underlying the identification and assessment of battered women and assists clinicians in providing an appropriate and safe response for them. It presents ways to build collaboration that improves assessment and referrals, and establishes a supportive environment that enhances disclosure of woman battering, identifying potential strengths and further safety rather than increasing risks. Concluding chapters consider issues involved in assessing women of different racial backgrounds and men who battered their female partners. This timely and well-written book is directed to mental health practitioners and domestic violence workers as well as academics, researchers, and students in the helping professions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761911074
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	09/30/1997
Pages:	206
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	vii
	Introduction	ix
I.	Underlying Issues Facing Assessment
1.	Addressing Differences and Barriers	3
	Differences in Perspective	5
	Organizational Barriers	14
	Conclusion	21
2.	Moving Toward Collaboration	23
	Existing Cooperation	24
	Examples of Collaboration	28
	Toward Collaboration	30
	Conclusion	38
II.	Tools for Improved Assessment
3.	Case Studies of Mental Health Evaluations	43
	Commitment of a Battered Woman	45
	Evaluation of a Recently Battered Woman	48
	Evaluation of a Woman With Multiple Problems	55
	Conclusion	62
4.	Procedures for Assessing Woman Battering	65
	Screening Questions	68
	Assessment Instruments	69
	Abuse History	72
	Safety Planning	77
	Diagnosis	79
	Reporting and Documentation	90
	Conclusion	92
5.	Recognizing the Strengths of Battered Women	95
	Recognizing Strengths	97
	Toward a Survivor Theory	103
	Strengths Inventory	105
	Conclusion	109
III.	Other Considerations in Assessment
6.	Appreciating Diversity Among Battered Women	113
	African American Women	119
	Latina Women	122
	Native American Women	124
	Asian Women	126
	Immigrant Women	128
	Conclusion	131
7.	Identifying and Assessing Men Who Batter	132
	Identifying Battering	134
	Assessing Psychopathology	141
	Clinical Response	145
	Conclusion	154
Appendix	A Survey of Battered Women's Advocates	157
	Recommended Bibliography	163
	References	169
	Index	181
	About the Authors	187

Editorial Reviews

Not about women being battered while in, or as part of, mental health services, but a guide to help mental health professionals improve the response to women who have been battered elsewhere. Draws on the literature in the field, original surveys of battered women's services, and the expertise of advocates. Discusses issues underlying identification and assessment and suggests appropriate and safe responses clinicians can offer. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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