Date of Conferral

11-10-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Chris Kladopoulos

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an ongoing social problem across nationalities, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, and genders. Historically, research into IPV has focused on the heterosexual female victim and male perpetrator paradigm, including identifying the root causes of this phenomenon and appropriate treatment models. There is a distinct gap in the current literature addressing how therapists in the psychological community approach working with heterosexual male and same-sex victims of IPV, beginning with case conceptualization. To explore the unique case conceptualization considerations of therapists as they encounter heterosexual male and same-sex IPV victims in their practice, a general phenomenological research design was conducted, using one-to-one interviews with nine therapists licensed to work across the United States. The study findings were interpreted through the lens of Bem’s gender schema theory. Results indicated three areas therapists remain cognizant of during case conceptualization: client life history, strong therapeutic alliance, and IPV prevention. Results did not find that therapists’ gender schemas impact their case conceptualization process. The findings about IPV prevention indicated that, compared to resources provided currently in shelters and other agencies, more resources are needed for heterosexual male and same-sex IPV victims. These findings will inform future approaches to providing comprehensive services to all IPV victims, which may include protocols for dealing with IPV victims and perpetrators and training therapists, as well as shelter workers, healthcare workers, law enforcement, and criminal justice professionals, to be aware that an IPV victim can be of any race, sex, income level, or gender.

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