Life-Span and Ecological Perspective. The CSVAC seeks to advance the science on the effects of violence against children across the life cycle. This approach requires an ecological framework to guide research design and service delivery. This perspective is contrasted with current trends that are more specifically tailored to the examination of individual processes and outcomes and that are often conducted without consideration of germane familial or organizational interactions. The across-the-life-cycle scope of this Center is envisioned as stimulating a richer and more robust affiliation of clinical and epidemiologically based research on violence against children and the wide range of behavioral consequences.
Addressing the Silo effect. Currently, the state of knowledge regarding the biopsychosocial needs of maltreated and traumatized children and their families is fragmented into disparate fields of study. The Center is being developed to dissipate the trend toward narrow specialization in research and practice that has resulted in isolation of one body of research from the other. The CSVAC identifies, typologizes, and synthesizes conceptual and empirical information across fields of study (neuro-development, trauma, substance abuse, child welfare, developmental psych, and pediatric psychiatry).
Methodological Specifications
Broadening the Scope of Inquiry. A lack of theoretical and empirical clarity in service and research leads to a singular focus on symptom reduction and little understanding of the crucial processes that produce change or the resultant functional capacities of targeted children and families. CSVAC broadens the scope of inquiry by specifying and testing the mechanisms of action and disorder associated with issues and interventions related to violence against children.
Translational Research Perspective. Current research methodologies used in understanding violence against children produce “gaps in knowledge” and “problems in knowledge utilization” that impede the identification and adoption of best practices. Research methodologies used to study the issues and interventions relevant to maltreated and traumatized children and their families need to be designed to control for error, yet address the real world issues that characterize contemporary clinical practice. The CSVAC model is bidirectional and translational in nature and uses innovative methodological designs to improve the move from efficacy to effectiveness research and underscores the importance of local and global knowledge.
Active Community Engagement. Violence against children is a complex social problem that demands active collaboration between community stakeholders and institutions of higher education. CSVAC tests ways of communicating new/existing knowledge to crucial systems of care that address the deleterious effects of violence against children. Active community engagement allows for the collaborative design of practice and research protocols so that empirical findings are relevant to the concerns of practitioners, and community stakeholders are key contributors to the research agenda of the Center. The CSVAC uses innovative, empirically supported dissemination technologies to build community capacity to address violence against children, to impact public policy, and to transform local, regional and national systems of care.
Last updated on 8-13-2009
