Objective: When counseling women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), healthcare providers can benefit from understanding the factors contributing to a women's motivation to change her situation. We wished to examine the various factors and situations associated with turning points and change seeking in the IPV situation. Methods: We performed qualitative analysis on data from 7 focus groups and 20 individual interviews with women (61 participants) with past and=or current histories of IPV. Results: The turning points women identified fell into 5 major themes: (1) protecting others from the abuse=abuser; (2) increased severity=humiliation with abuse; (3) increased awareness of options=access to support and resources; (4) fatigue=recognition that the abuser was not going to change; and (5) partner betrayal=infidelity. Conclusions: Women experiencing IPV can identify specific factors and events constituting turning points or catalyst to change in their IPV situation. These turning points are dramatic shifts in beliefs and perceptions of themselves, their partners, and=or their situation that alter the women's willingness to tolerate the situation and motivate them to consider change. When counseling women experiencing IPV, health providers can incorporate understanding of turning points to motivate women to move forward in their process of changing their IPV situation.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an evidence-based treatment for young children (aged 2.5 to 7 years) with externalizing behavior problems. Since its development, PCIT has been applied to a wide array of childhood problems and has a significant evidence base for families with histories of child physical abuse. The current study extended the existing literature by testing the effectiveness and feasibility of PCIT in an urban domestic violence shelter with community-based clinicians delivering the treatment. Seven clinicians implemented PCIT with parent-child dyads which included 21 preschool (M = 4.57 years; SD = 1.50) children. Families completed assessments at baseline, mid-treatment, and post-treatment. Nine families completed PCIT (43%). Completion of PCIT was associated with improved child behavior, parenting practices, and mental health symptoms. Considerations for treatment delivery and future directions are discussed.

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Currently, 12.4% of the U.S. population consists of older adults (age 65 and above), a number that has tripled in the past century (Administration on Aging [AoA], 2008). Within the next 30 years, nearly 20% of the American population is projected to be over the age of 65 (AoA, 2008).