My research applies a community psychology orientation to the social problem of intimate partner violence. Community psychology focuses on the multiple layers of context influencing individuals and groups. Researchers working from this perspective often emphasize the potential for research and action to go hand-in-hand, and view collaboration with relevant community groups as a key component in conducting practically-relevant and participant-sensitive research. My overarching goal is to improve community responses to intimate partner violence, and to learn from victims about how to refine our interventions. I have focused primarily on three content areas in this vein: helpseeking, the court system, and risk assessment. As a result of this work, however, I have also begun to focus on the development of empowerment theory as a useful framework for interventions with a wide range of marginalized individuals and groups. My teaching and mentoring integrates a focus on social context and prioritizes community engagement as a vehicle for learning.
Since earning my doctorate in Clinical/Community Psychology from the University of Maryland (College Park) in 2001, I worked briefly for a policy research organization in Washington DC, and joined the faculty of George Mason University in 2003. Applying a community orientation to my work has translated into a number of interdisciplinary collaborations. For example, I was part of a team evaluation of an innovative approach to prosecuting domestic violence cases at the US Attorney's Office in Washington DC, have served on the District of Columbia's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, collaborate frequently with the Domestic Violence Clinic at Georgetown Law School, and consult with Safe Horizon, the largest victim services agency in New York City. Through these efforts, I aim to publish scholarly work to advance the field's understanding of intimate partner violence, to provide a perspective of practical use to these agencies, and to learn from the perspectives of experienced practitioners and policy makers to inform the direction of my research program.
Representative Publications
Bennett Cattaneo, L. (in press). The role of socioeconomic status in interactions with police among a national sample of women experiencing intimate partner violence. American Journal of Community Psychology.
Bennett Cattaneo, L. & DeLoveh, H. (in press). The role of socioeconomic status in helpseeking from hotlines, shelters and police among a national sample of women experiencing intimate partner violence. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.
Bennett Cattaneo, L. & Goodman, L. (in press). Through the lens of jurisprudence: The relationship between empowerment in the court system and wellbeing for intimate partner violence victims. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
Bennett Cattaneo, L., Goodman, L., Kohn, L. & Epstein, D.E. (in press). The Victim Informed Prosecution Project: A quasi-experimental test of a collaborative model for cases of intimate partner violence. Violence against Women.
Bennett Cattaneo, L., DeLoveh, H. & Zweig, J. (2008). Sexual assault within intimate partner violence: Impact on helpseeking in a national sample. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community 1-2(36), 137-153.
Bennett Cattaneo, L. & Goodman, L.A. (2007). New directions in IPV risk assessment: An empowerment approach to risk management. In K. Kendall-Tackett & S. Giacomoni (Eds.), Intimate partner violence, (pp. 1-17). Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute.
Bennett Cattaneo, L., Stuewig, J., Goodman, L., Kaltman, S. & Dutton, M.A. (2007). Longitudinal helpseeking patterns among victims of intimate partner violence: the relationship between legal and extralegal services. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(3), 467-477.
Bennett Cattaneo, L. (2007). Contributors to assessments of risk in intimate partner violence: How victims and professionals differ. Journal of Community Psychology, 35(1), 57-75.
Bennett Cattaneo, L. and Goodman, L.A. (2005). Risk factors for reabuse in intimate partner violence: A cross-disciplinary critical review. Trauma, Violence and Abuse: A Review Journal, 6, 141-175.
Bennett, L.E., Goodman, L.A. & Dutton, M.A. (1999). Systemic obstacles to the criminal prosecution of a battering partner: A victim perspective. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14(7), 761-772.
