Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Corinne Bridges

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health concern that affects victims, families, and the communities. Master's level counselors, who work in mental health settings, are in key positions to provide identification and intervention services to female victims of IPV with mental health issues. This study explored the lived experiences of master's level counselors who worked with female victims of IPV to gather a deeper meaning into the values, attitudes, and beliefs that master's level counselors hold in working with female victims of IPV. This study was conducted as a hermeneutic phenomenological study through a feminist poststructuralist lens to guide the research. The 5 participants in the study obtained a master's degree from a CACREP accredited counseling program and have worked with female victims of IPV. Semistructured interview questions were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using first and second cycle coding. NVivo 12 software was used to organize the data. Key findings indicated that participants valued their work with victims of IPV but believed that there were not enough resources available to properly assist clients. Participants also acknowledged that they did not receive training in their master's programs to equip them to successfully work with victims of IPV. The results of this research study may inform counselor education programs by increasing awareness of needed improvements in training and education of master's level counselors may improve overall treatment provided to this population. Improved treatment may decrease the number of health concerns, in turn decreasing the number of emergency room visits and improving the overall family dynamic.

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