Ethics, Methods, and Measures in Intimate Partner Violence Research: The Current State of the Field

Abstract

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is a well-studied topic, surprisingly little consensus among researchers has been reached with regard to the definition and measurement of its major typologies and constructs. The rigorous development and testing of prevention and intervention strategies on a large scale are hampered by many of these methodological difficulties as well as ethical considerations that make conducting IPV research difficult. The author presents a review of the current state of IPV research in these three areas (ethics, methods, and measurement) with suggestions for innovative research possibilities building from this status quo. Moving the field of IPV research forward is necessary to establish a broader evidence base for the prevention and treatment of abuse and to improve outcomes for survivors of IPV.

Keywords: intimate partner violence; measurement; research ethics.