Domestic violence interferes with women’s exploration of career interests, pursuit of career goals, and attainment of economic independence. Vocational research may contribute significantly to preventive-intervention efforts against domestic violence and to the liberation of battered women by increasing their economic stability and strengthening their support network. In this article, the authors’ aim is to inspire vocational research with battered women. We use Prilleltensky’s emancipatory communitarian approach to outline a vocational research agenda with battered women and to describe research practices that facilitate collaboration among researchers and community stake-holders and that increase battered women’s self-determination and contribution to their communities. We discuss general research and specific vocational research practices to assist researchers with building research partnerships, recruiting and retaining participants, and disseminating vocational research results to effect social change.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Psychological Association. (1996). Violence and the family (Report of the American Psychological Association, Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
2.
Bailey, G. R., Jr. (1996). Treatment of domestic violence in gay and lesbian relationships. Journal of Psychological Practice, 2, 1-8.
3.
Betz, N. E., & Corning, A. F. (1993). The inseparability of “career” and “personal” counseling. Career Development Quarterly, 42(2), 137-142.
4.
Betz, N. E., Klein, K. E., & Taylor, K. M. (1996). Evaluation of a short form of the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale. Journal of Career Assessment, 4, 47-57.
5.
Bingham, R. P. (2002). The issue may be the integration of personal and career issues. The Counseling Psychologist, 30(6), 885-890.
6.
Blustein, D. L., McWhirter, E. H., & Perry, J. C. (2004). Toward an emancipatory communitarian approach to vocational development theory. Manuscript in preparation.
7.
Bowen, N. H. (1982). Guidelines for career counseling with abused women. Vocational Guidance Quarterly, 31(2), 123-127.
8.
Brown, C. (2001, August). Career counseling training in domestic violence shelters. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco.
9.
Brown, C., Reedy, D., Fountain, J., Johnson, A., & Dichiser, T. (2000). Battered women’s career decision-making self-efficacy: Further insights and contributing factors. Journal of Career Assessment, 8(3), 251-265.
10.
Brown, S. D., & Krane, N. E. (2000). Four (or five) sessions and a cloud of dust: Old assumptions and new observations about career counseling. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent (Eds.), Handbook of Counseling Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Wiley.
11.
Browne, A., Salomon, A., & Bassuk, S. S. (1999). The impact of recent partner violence on poor women’s capacity to maintain work. Violence Against Women, 5, 393-426.
12.
Campbell, J. C., & Dienemann, J. D. (2001). Ethical issues in research on violence against women. In C. M. Renzetti, J. L. Edleson, & R. K. Bergen (Eds.), Sourcebook on violence against women (pp. 57-72). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
13.
Chronister, K. M., & McWhirter, E. H. (2003). Women, domestic violence, and career counseling: An application of social cognitive career theory. Journal of Counseling and Development, 81(4), 418-424.
14.
Chronister, K. M., & McWhirter, E. H. (2004a). Ethnic differences in battered women’s perceptions of career barriers and supports: A pilot study. Journal of Career Assessment, 12(2), 169-187.
15.
Chronister, K. M., & McWhirter, E. H. (2004b). An experimental examination of two career counseling programs for battered women. Manuscript submitted for publication.
16.
Comas-Díaz, L. (1994). An integrative approach. In L. G. Comas-Díaz & B. Greene (Eds.), Women of color: Integrating ethnic and gender identities in psychotherapy (pp. 287-318). New York: Guilford.
17.
Coopersmith, S. (1987). Self-esteem inventories. PaloAlto, CA: Consulting Psychologist Press.
18.
Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV). (2002). Facts and statistics. Retrieved April 14, 2002, from http://www.caepv.org
19.
DeBell, C. (2002). Practice for a paradigm shift: A complete model for an integrative course. The Counseling Psychologist, 30(6), 858-877.
20.
Duncan, G. J., & Chase-Lansdale, C. (2001). For better and for worse: Welfare reform and the well-being of children and families. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
21.
Ellsberg, M., & Heise, L. (2002, May). Bearing witness: Ethics in domestic violence research. The Lancet, 359, 1599-1604.
22.
Fassinger, R. (2001, March). Social action at the national level: On dismantling the master’s house. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Vocational Psychology, Houston, TX.
23.
Fisher, C. B., Hoagwood, K., Boyce, C., Duster, T., Frank, D. A., Grisso, T., et al. (2002). Research ethics for mental health science involving ethnic minority children and youths. The American Psychologist, 57(12), 1024-1040.
24.
Flitcraft, A. H., Hadley, S. M., Hendricks-Matthews, M. K., McLeer, S. V., & Warshaw, C. (1992). Diagnostic and treatment guidelines on domestic violence. Chicago: American Medical Association.
25.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.
26.
Gianakos, I. (1999). Career counseling with battered women. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 21(1), 1-14.
27.
Gilbert, L. A., & Brownson, C. (1998). Current perspectives on women’s multiple roles. Journal of Career Assessment, 6(4), 433-448.
28.
Gore, P. A., Leuwerke, W. C., & Krumboltz, J. D. (2002). Technologically enriched and boundary less lives: Time for a paradigm upgrade. The Counseling Psychologist, 30(6), 847-857.
29.
Gragg, K. M. (2001). Graduate research with women survivors of domestic violence (Report No. CG-031-311). East Lansing, MI: National Center for Research on Teacher Learning. (ERIC Document Reproduction No. ED 031 311)
30.
Heppner, M. J., & Davidson, M. M. (2002). Be careful what we wish for: The integration of career psychology. The Counseling Psychologist, 30(6), 878-884.
31.
Ibrahim, F. A., & Herr, E. L. (1987). Battered women: A developmental life-career counseling perspective. Journal of Counseling and Development, 65(5), 244-248.
32.
Kalichman, S. C. (1999). Mandated reporting of suspected child abuse: Ethics, law and policy. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
33.
Kanuha, V. (1994). Women of color in battering relationships. In L. G. Comas-Diaz & B. Greene (Eds.), Women of color: Integrating ethnic and gender identities in psychotherapy (pp. 428-454). New York: Guilford.
34.
Krieshok, T. S., & Pelsma, D. M. (2002). The soul of work: Using case studies in the teaching of vocational psychology. The Counseling Psychologist, 30(6), 833-846.
35.
Lent, E. B. (1999). The challenge of lower socioeconomic status in job and career service delivery. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Vocational Psychology, Milwaukee, WI.
36.
Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., & Hackett, G. (1994). Monograph: Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45, 79-122.
37.
Mahoney, P., Williams, L. M., & West, C. M. (2001). Violence against women by intimate relationship partners. In C. M. Renzetti, J. L. Edleson, & R. K. Bergren (Eds.), Sourcebook on violence against women (pp. 143-179). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
38.
Martín-Baró, I. (1994). Writings for a liberation psychology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
39.
Masaki, B., & Wong, L. (1997). Domestic violence in the Asian community. In E. Lee (Ed.), Working with Asian Americans (pp. 439-451). New York: Guilford.
40.
McWhirter, E. H. (1997). Empowerment, social activism, and counseling. Counseling and Human Development, 28(8), 1-14.
41.
O’Brien, K. M., & Brown, C. (2001, August). Counseling psychologists as agents of social change: Domestic violence interventions. In J. Swanson (Chair), Career counseling training-empirical models, social justice settings, diverse populations. Symposium conducted at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco.
42.
Plichta, S. B. (1996). Violence and abuse: Implications for women’s health. In M. M. Falik (Ed.), Women’s health: The Commonwealth Fund Survey (pp. 237-270). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
43.
Prilleltensky, I. (1997). Values, assumptions, and practices: Assessing the moral implications of psychological discourse and action. The American Psychologist, 52, 517-535.
44.
Prilleltensky, I., & Nelson, G. (2002). Doing psychology critically: Making a difference in diverse settings. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
45.
Retzlaff, C. (1999). A national study examining women’s experience of violence in America. Retrieved January 5, 2001, from http://www.thebody.com/iapac/violence-women.html
46.
Riger, S. (1999). Working together: Challenges in collaborative research on violence against women. Violence Against Women, 5, 1099-1117.
47.
Riger, S., Ahrens, C., & Blickenstaff, A. M. (2000). Measuring interference with employment and education reported by women with abusive partners: Preliminary data. Violence and Victims, 15, 161-172.
48.
Ristock, J. L. (2001). Decentering heterosexuality: Responses of feminist counselors to abuse in lesbian relationships. Women and Therapy, 23, 59-72.
49.
Romano, J. L., & Hage, S. M. (2000). Prevention and counseling psychology: Revitalizing commitments for the 21st century. The Counseling Psychologist, 28, 733-763.
50.
Root, M. P. (1996). Women of color and traumatic stress in “domestic captivity”: Gender and race as disempowering statuses. In A. J. Marsella & M. J. Friedman (Eds.), Ethnocultural aspects of post traumatic stress disorder: Issues, research, and clinical applications (pp. 363-387). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
51.
Snyder, C. R., Harris, C., Anderson, J. R., Holleran, S. A., Irving, L. M., Sigmon, S. T., et al. (1991). The will and the ways: Development and validation of an individual-differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 570-585.
52.
Solberg, V. S., Good, G. E., & Nord, D. (1994). Career search efficacy: Ripe for applications and intervention programming. Journal of Career Development, 21, 63-72.
53.
Sullivan, C. M. (1991). Battered women as active helpseekers. Violence Update, 1, 1, 8, 10.
54.
Sullivan, C. M., Basta, J., Tan, C., & Davidson, W. S. (1992). After the crisis: A needs assessment of women leaving a domestic violence shelter. Violence and Victims, 7(3), 267-275.
55.
Sullivan, C. M., & Bybee, D. I. (1999). Reducing violence using community-based advocacy for women with abusive partners. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 67(1), 43-53.
56.
Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000). Prevalence and consequences of male-to-female and female-to-male violence as measured by the National Violence Against Women Survey. Violence Against Women, 6, 142-161.
57.
Tolman, R. M., & Rosen, D. (2001). Domestic violence in the lives of women receiving welfare: Mental health, substance dependence, and economic well-being. Violence Against Women, 7(2), 141-158.
58.
U.S. Department of Justice. (1998). Violence by intimates: Analysis of data on crimes by current or former spouses, boyfriends, and girlfriends (BJS report, NCJ 167237). Washington, DC: Author.
59.
U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2000). Intimate partner violence. Retrieved March 12, 2004, from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/ipv.htm
60.
U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2001, October). Intimate partner violence and age of victim, 1993-99. Washington, DC: Author.
61.
U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau. (1996). Domestic violence: A workplace issue. Retrieved April 15, 2002, from http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/public/wb_pubs/domestic.htm
62.
Vera, E. M., & Speight, S. L. (2003). Multicultural competence, social justice, and counseling psychology: Expanding our roles. The Counseling Psychologist, 31(3). 253-272.
63.
Walsh, W. B. (Ed.). (1997). Career assessment for women: Theory into practice [Special Issue]. Journal of Career Assessment, 5(4).
64.
Walsh, W. B., & Osipow, S. H. (Eds.). (1994). Career counseling for women. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
65.
Wettersten, K. B., Rudolph, S., Faul, K., Gallagher, K., Transgrud, H., Adams, K., et al. (in press). Freedom through self-sufficiency: A qualitative examination of the impact of domestic violence on the working lives of women in shelter. Journal of Counseling Psychology.
66.
Whiston, S. C., & Bouwkamp, J. C. (2003). Ethical implications of career assessment with women. Journal of Career Assessment, 11(1), 59-75.
67.
Yoshihama, M. (2000). Reinterpreting strength and safety in a socio-cultural context: Dynamics of domestic violence and experiences of women of Japanese descent. Children and Youth Services Review, 22, 207-229.
