Publication Date

2015-09-22

Availability

Open access

Embargo Period

2015-09-22

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PHD)

Department

Educational and Psychological Studies (Education)

Date of Defense

2015-08-19

First Committee Member

Etiony Aldarondo

Second Committee Member

Debbiesiu Lee

Third Committee Member

Cengiz Zopluoglu

Fourth Committee Member

Jessica R. Williams

Abstract

Social services providers in the field of domestic violence (DV) are under increased pressure to have their clinical practices and programs be informed by research evidence. To date, however, it is unclear if DV practitioners are using research evidence in their work and little is known about the various attitudinal and organizational factors that may be associated with their use and ignoring of research. This study was conducted to help fill-in some of these knowledge gaps. A national sample of 206 DV practitioners (92% women, 64% white, mean age 42) completed the Practitioners Use of Research Survey, an online survey designed to understand DV practitioners’ use of research evidence, attitudes toward research, and the perceived organizational climate and culture at their work sites. Consistent with our hypotheses, multiple hierarchical regression data analysis revealed attitudes toward research as a positive predictor of research use and a negative predictor of ignoring research. Unexpectedly, organizational culture was found to be a positive predictor for ignoring research and was not significantly related to research use. Contrary to our hypothesis, perceived organizational climate was unrelated to research use or ignoring research and climate and culture had no moderation effects. Implications of this study for organizations and recommendations for future research on understanding use and ignoring of research are discussed.

Keywords

research use; evidence-based; domestic violence; practitioners; attitudes; organizational social context

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