Taylor, E., Banyard, V., Grych, J., & Hamby, S. (Online First). Not all behind closed doors: Examining bystander involvement in intimate partner violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-21.
Abstract: It is often said that intimate partner violence (IPV) happens “behind closed doors;” however, research on IPV and other crimes suggests that witnesses are sometimes present. This suggests that bystanders may be in a position to help victims or potential victims of violence. Bystander behavior has been studied primarily in school settings, and consequently, little is known about how often it occurs or what its effects may be in the broader community. This study examined IPV incidents in a rural sample to assess the presence and potential impact of bystanders on victim-reported outcomes. One thousand nine hundred seventy-seven adult participants completed a questionnaire that asked about five violent behaviors (my partner threatened to hurt me; pushed, grabbed, or shook me; hit me; beat me up; sexually assaulted me), bystander characteristics, and victim outcomes (fear; injury; disruption of daily routines; mental health). Adult or teen bystanders were present for each IPV approximately one third of the time, except in the case of sexual assault (14.3%). When a bystander was present, victims reported higher rates of injury, greater disruption in their routines, and poorer mental health. When a bystander’s safety was threatened, victims reported more physical injury and more routine disruption. A considerable number of IPV incidents do not happen behind closed doors, and the presence of a bystander was associated with worse outcomes for victims. Prevention efforts for adult IPV may need to take a more cautious or nuanced approach to encouraging bystander action, especially when confronted with more severe incidents. Bystander safety should be a priority for violence prevention.
Hamby, S., Smith, A., Mitchell, K., & Turner, H. (Online First). Poly-victimization and resilience portfolios: Trends in violence research that can enhance the understanding and prevention of elder abuse. Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect.
Abstract: This literature review assesses the current state of knowledge about elder abuse and mistreatment, focusing on the lack of incorporation of all forms of elder victimization and the benefits of a poly-victimization framework. This review also includes existing knowledge on risk factors and calls for a greater focus on protective factors and a greater inclusion on family and community factors. Future research, prevention, and intervention would benefit from considering the true burden of elder victimization and a greater implementation of strengths-based approaches to programs.
Banyard, V., Weber, M., Grych, J., & Hamby, S. (2016). Where are the helpful bystanders? Ecological niche and victims’ perceptions of bystander intervention. Journal of Community Psychology, 44(2), 214-231.
Abstract: Objective: To explore an emergent area of bystander research by describing associations between bystander involvement and community or microsystemic support factors across different types of emotional and physical victimizations. Method: 1703 adults and adolescents were surveyed about bystander presence, bystander actions, and bystander safety across nine forms of victimization. They were also surveyed about three community-level factors—collective efficacy, support for community youth, informal community support—and two microsystemic factors—social support and tangible family resources as well as demographic variables of gender and residential mobility. Results: Victim residential mobility and victim sex were associated with bystander presence for some forms of victimization, but community and microsystemic support scores were not typically associated with bystander presence. Higher community and microsystemic support scores, particularly support for community youth, informal community support, and social support, were commonly associated with perceiving bystanders as helpful to the situation. Support scores, especially collective efficacy, were also associated with bystander safety for some victimization types. Conclusion: Our exploratory findings show a relationship between bystander helpfulness and characteristics of the victim’s community and microsystem, especially for victimization types that are typically public like peer aggression. Future research should examine community level variables in relation to bystander actions. Our findings suggest that mentoring and other relationship and community initiatives that support young people may have an impact on victimization prevention via bystander helpfulness, but also that prevention programs might benefit from gauging community dynamics.
Hamby, S., Roberts, L., Taylor, E., Hagler, M., & Kaczkowski, W. (in press). Families, poly-victimization, & resilience portfolios: Understanding risk, vulnerability & protection across the span of childhood. In D. Teti (Ed.), Parenting and Family Processes in Child Maltreatment and Intervention. New York: Springer.
Hamby, S., Weber, M. C., Grych, J., & Banyard, V. (2016). What difference do bystanders make? The association of bystander involvement with victim outcomes in a community sample. Psychology of Violence, 6(1), 91-102.
Abstract: Objective: To fill gaps in the bystander literature by describing patterns of bystander involvement and associations between bystander involvement and victim outcomes across different types of emotional, physical, and sexual victimizations and to expand these considerations to a rural rather than urban sample. Method: Adults and adolescents (n = 1,703) were surveyed about bystander actions, bystander safety, and victim outcomes (injury, disrupted routine, fear level, and current mental health) for 10 forms of victimization. Results: Bystanders were present for roughly 2 thirds of most victimization types (59% to 67%), except sexual victimization (17%). Relatives were the most common bystanders of family violence and friends or acquaintances were the most common bystanders of peer violence. For all 10 victimizations, more bystanders helped than harmed the situation, but most commonly had no impact. Rates of bystander harm for sexual victimizations were higher than for other types. Especially for peer-perpetrated incidents, victim outcomes were often better when bystanders helped. Bystander safety (unharmed and unthreatened) was consistently associated with better victim outcomes. Conclusion: Bystanders witness the majority of physical and psychological victimizations. These data lend support to the premise of many prevention programs that helpful bystanders are associated with more positive victim outcomes. Bystander prevention should focus on the type of bystanders most commonly present and should teach bystanders ways to stay safe while helping victims.
Taylor, E., Jouriles, E. N., Brown, R., Goforth, K., & Banyard, V. (2016). Narrative writing exercises for promoting health among adolescents: Promises and pitfalls. Psychology of Violence, 6(1), 57-63.
Abstract: The purpose of this commentary is to present the benefits and strengths narrative writing at the primary, secondary, and tertiary level of prevention. We also present tips for
implementing narratives as a prevention strategy in schools and other types of therapeutic settings. Narrative writing exercises have consistently demonstrated positive results
at the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention levels. Researchers have theorized that narratives are effective due to helpful nature of being able to process thoughts and emotions
surrounding the event, as well as a way to promote broader ways of thinking and to encourage positive thoughts about the self. The Laws of Life essay program is an example of an established
narrative program. It has been used in school settings for many years and is nationally recognized. We propose tips how to implement narrative writing as a prevention technique.
Despite the positive results of narratives, we are left with a few more questions. Does the modality of the narrative affect the impact? Narratives are particularly helpful when
the author writes about something meaningful. How do you motivate a non-writer? Narratives can be a first line of defense if used correctly, helping those at risk for violence or troubling
behaviors.
Grych, J., Hamby, S., & Banyard, V. (2015). The resilience portfolio model: Understanding health adaptation in victims of violence. Psychology of Violence, 5(4), 343-354.
Abstract: The study of resilience has focused attention on the human potential to overcome adversity and provided insight into protective factors that promote healthy functioning following stressful and traumatic experiences. However, this work also has limitations. Many of the protective factors identified simply represent the inverse of documented risk factors and the outcomes studies typically reflect the absence of psychopathology rather than the presence of good health. Research on positive psychology can contribute to understanding resilience by identifying additional qualities that may serve as protective factors and indicators of healthy functioning. Integrating insights from work on resilience and positive psychology offers the promise of developing a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the processes that foster healthy adaptation in children and adults exposed to significant adversity. This article introduces the Portfolio Model of Resilience, which is intended to bridge the resilience and positive psychology literatures in order to guide research and enhance
prevention and intervention programs.
Hagler, M., Hamby, S., Grych, J., & Banyard, V. (2015). Working for well-being: Uncovering the protective benefits of work through qualitative analysis. Journal of Happiness Studies, 17(4), 1493-1510.
Abstract: Previous research mostly defines the benefits of work as the absence of unemployment’s negative outcomes or as benefits to employers, such as increased productivity. This study uses qualitative data to investigate the ways that work can enhance the well-being of the worker. Two hundred and two participants from a rural area participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews, discussing prominent moments in their life stories. Participants’ discussions of work were coded with grounded theory. The majority (74.8%) of participants mentioned work at least once during the interview, and 53.3% of work mentions were positive. Two main themes encompassing the protective benefits of work arose: self-oriented benefits and other-oriented benefits. Each main theme was further divided into three subthemes. Self-oriented subthemes were autonomy, personal development, and empowerment; other-oriented subthemes were providing for dependents, generativity, and helping others. Participants spoke about how each of these benefits enhances their well-being and happiness. This study uncovered protective benefits of work that have not been addressed by previous scholarship. Qualitative data provided the flexibility to explore work-related domains for which quantitative scales do not currently exist. Work is one of the main activities of most adults, and the study of the psychological benefits of work can improve our understanding of adult well-being and happiness.
Hamby, S., Thomas, L.A., Banyard, V., de St. Aubin, E., & Grych, J. (2015). Generative roles: Assessing sustained involvement in generativity. American Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 24-32.
Abstract: Generative roles refer to observable, behavioral community positions that embody aspects of teaching and nurturing that are central to the concept of generativity. Two studies are presented that describe generative roles in a community sample and provide psychometric data for a short index of generative roles. The first study also provides reliability and validity data from a second informant. The second study examines generative roles at different stages of adolescence and adulthood. Participants were asked 8 yes/no questions about a variety of community roles. The validity of the GRI was supported by significant correlations with the Loyola Generativity Scale, a widely used measure of generative concern (r=.33), and measures of related constructs. The correlations were similar across age categories. The Generative Roles Index has good psychometric qualities and complements existing measures of generativity by providing behavioral, observable data on roles.
Roberts, L.T., Hamby, S., Grych, J., & Banyard, V. (2015). Beyond collective efficacy: New brief measures to assess the outer layers of the social ecology. American Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 14-23.
Abstract: Generative roles refer to observable, behavioral community positions that embody aspects of teaching and nurturing that are central to the concept of generativity. Two studies are presented that describe generative roles in a community sample and provide psychometric data for a short index of generative roles. The first study also provides reliability and validity data from a second informant. The second study examines generative roles at different stages of adolescence and adulthood. Participants were asked 8 yes/no questions about a variety of community roles. The validity of the GRI was supported by significant correlations with the Loyola Generativity Scale, a widely used measure of generative concern (r=.33), and measures of related constructs. The correlations were similar across age categories. The Generative Roles Index has good psychometric qualities and complements existing measures of generativity by providing behavioral, observable data on roles.
Roberts, L., Hamby, S., Grych, J., & Banyard, V. (2015). Narrative engagement: The importance of assessing individual investment in expressive writing. American Journal of Social Sciences, 3, 96-103.
Abstract:The positive benefits of narrative and expressive writing have been demonstrated in numerous experimental studies, but these experimental efforts have not focused on understanding authors’ perceptions of the writing experience. This study presents a new brief measure of narrative engagement that assesses authors’ investment and motivation for expressive writing. The
Narrative Engagement Index was developed based on theory and an extensive review of participants’ reflections on a narrative-based writing intervention, and could be tailored to suit
many written narrative exercises. For the present study, it was used to assess narrative engagement for the Laws of Life Essay program. Participants (n=717) were drawn from a rural,
low-income Southern region, and a subset (n=55) were asked to bring “someone who knew them well” in order to provide reliability and validity data from a close informant. To our knowledge,
it is the first study to include a close informant in the study of the correlates of narrative. Positive, significant correlations were found for measures of related constructs, including
expressive writing items that are widely used in experimental studies of narrative, meaning making, and posttraumatic growth. Close informants perceived writers with higher levels of
narrative engagement to have higher levels of current well-being than less engaged writers. The Narrative Engagement Index has good psychometric qualities and complements existing
measures of narrative by assessing the author’s investment in the writing process.
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