Advancing Multilevel and Integrative Approaches to Address Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health and human rights issue with significant physical, psychological, relational, and embodied consequences. This presentation introduces two interconnected projects that examine IPV through interdisciplinary perspectives, including criminology, sociology, social work, gender studies, psychology, family studies, public health, trauma studies, and neuroscience.

The first project focuses on theory development through a cross-national, multilevel examination of IPV victimization among women and men. It explores how broader structural conditions intersect with individual experiences to shape IPV risk. By integrating macro- and micro-level perspectives, this work aims to advance a more comprehensive understanding of IPV across diverse global contexts.

The second project focuses on intervention development and survivor healing. It examines an integrative, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and mindfulness-based intervention for individuals with histories of IPV. Using a mixed-methods randomized controlled trial design, the project assesses preliminary indicators of holistic well-being, empowerment, and stress regulation through surveys, interviews, and biomarkers.

Together, these projects reflect an interdisciplinary research agenda that moves from understanding the multilevel determinants of IPV to developing culturally grounded, trauma-informed, mindfulness-based, and neuroscience-informed approaches to survivor recovery. The presentation will discuss implications for theory development, policy, practice, clinical intervention, and global efforts to prevent IPV.