Life History Calendars and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire were used to collect data fro... more Life History Calendars and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire were used to collect data from 100 delinquent girls to (a) examine range and co-occurrence of different types of violence over the life span, (b) examine independent and cumulative trajectories of risk for varied types of victimization, and (c) examine the relationship of victimization to girls' offending. Risk trajectories demonstrate critical risk periods for different forms of violence exposure. Cox regression was used to examine the predictive value of different forms of violence exposure for the onset of delinquent and criminal behavior. Findings illuminate the need for programs addressing substance use and alternative coping mechanisms.
... Although researchers note difficulties in establishing prevalence estimates of childhood expo... more ... Although researchers note difficulties in establishing prevalence estimates of childhood exposure to violence (Fantuzzo & Mohr, 1999; Salcido, Welthorn, & Behrman, 1999), they indicate that it is commonplace, particularly for children in urban environments. ...
The Health Belief Model was used as a conceptual framework for exploring how health beliefs and p... more The Health Belief Model was used as a conceptual framework for exploring how health beliefs and perceptions of heterosexism and homophobia in health care related to lesbians' breast health behaviors, including use of breast exams and mammograms, visits to health care providers, and use of complementary/alternative care. A total of 173 exclusively homosexual women completed survey measures assessing health beliefs, experiences of heterosexism/homophobia, and health maintenance behaviors as these related to breast health. Findings indicated that women perceived heterosexism and homophobia from providers to influence the amount of discussion they had with providers and, to a lesser extent, care received, frequency of service use, and health outcomes. Perceptions of heterosexism and homophobia in health care settings significantly contributed, beyond routine health beliefs, to women's use of breast self-exams, visitation to health care providers, and use of complementary/alterna...
Recent research has documented the unusually high rates of incarcerated women&amp... more Recent research has documented the unusually high rates of incarcerated women's serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD). Complicating these high rates is the high comorbidity of SMI with SUD and trauma histories. Yet, incarcerated women have significantly less access to treatment and health services while incarcerated than men. We used data from a multi-site, multi-method project funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (2011-2012) to determine the risk profile of women in jail (n = 491) with a current co-occurring SMI (i.e., major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorder) and SUD (i.e., abuse, dependence). The study spanned multiple geographic regions, and structured diagnostic interviews were used to understand better the women that comprised this vulnerable population. One-in-five of the women had a current co-occurring disorder (CCOD). The findings revealed that significantly more women with a CCOD had been exposed to violence and were exposed to drugs at a younger age. Further, about one-third of women with a CCOD had received no treatment from a health care professional in the past year, demonstrating a substantial unmet need. We conclude that investing in mental and behavioral health care in jails is critical to the health and safety of women as well as the communities to which they return.
Journal of correctional health care : the official journal of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 2009
To date, little research has systematically investigated perceptions of mental health professiona... more To date, little research has systematically investigated perceptions of mental health professionals regarding motivations for self-injury among prison inmates. To help fill this gap, the authors used descriptive techniques to examine self-injurious behavior among inmates from the perspective of correctional mental health professionals. A quantitative survey assessed perceptions of mental health staff regarding etiology, motivations, and manifestations of self-injury. A qualitative interview component was used to explicate responses from the survey. Inmate cutting, scratching, opening old wounds, and inserting objects were the most commonly witnessed behaviors. Findings suggest that self-injury occurred regularly and that a subset of inmates are responsible for recurrent events. Mental health professionals perceived the motivation for inmate self-injury to be both manipulative and a coping mechanism. They described current management strategies and corresponding needs for training an...
Tradition a Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought, Aug 12, 2009
Social workers are becoming increasingly aware of the unique experiences faced by children of inc... more Social workers are becoming increasingly aware of the unique experiences faced by children of incarcerated parents. Little is known, however, about their experiences prior to their parents being incarcerated. Using data from a broader study of incarcerated women, we examined women’s accounts of their children’s exposure to violence prior to maternal incarceration. Open-ended interviews addressed family and relationship history, physical
Life History Calendars and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire were used to collect data fro... more Life History Calendars and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire were used to collect data from 100 delinquent girls to (a) examine range and co-occurrence of different types of violence over the life span, (b) examine independent and cumulative trajectories of risk for varied types of victimization, and (c) examine the relationship of victimization to girls' offending. Risk trajectories demonstrate critical risk periods for different forms of violence exposure. Cox regression was used to examine the predictive value of different forms of violence exposure for the onset of delinquent and criminal behavior. Findings illuminate the need for programs addressing substance use and alternative coping mechanisms.
... Although researchers note difficulties in establishing prevalence estimates of childhood expo... more ... Although researchers note difficulties in establishing prevalence estimates of childhood exposure to violence (Fantuzzo & Mohr, 1999; Salcido, Welthorn, & Behrman, 1999), they indicate that it is commonplace, particularly for children in urban environments. ...
The Health Belief Model was used as a conceptual framework for exploring how health beliefs and p... more The Health Belief Model was used as a conceptual framework for exploring how health beliefs and perceptions of heterosexism and homophobia in health care related to lesbians' breast health behaviors, including use of breast exams and mammograms, visits to health care providers, and use of complementary/alternative care. A total of 173 exclusively homosexual women completed survey measures assessing health beliefs, experiences of heterosexism/homophobia, and health maintenance behaviors as these related to breast health. Findings indicated that women perceived heterosexism and homophobia from providers to influence the amount of discussion they had with providers and, to a lesser extent, care received, frequency of service use, and health outcomes. Perceptions of heterosexism and homophobia in health care settings significantly contributed, beyond routine health beliefs, to women's use of breast self-exams, visitation to health care providers, and use of complementary/alterna...
Recent research has documented the unusually high rates of incarcerated women&amp... more Recent research has documented the unusually high rates of incarcerated women's serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD). Complicating these high rates is the high comorbidity of SMI with SUD and trauma histories. Yet, incarcerated women have significantly less access to treatment and health services while incarcerated than men. We used data from a multi-site, multi-method project funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (2011-2012) to determine the risk profile of women in jail (n = 491) with a current co-occurring SMI (i.e., major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorder) and SUD (i.e., abuse, dependence). The study spanned multiple geographic regions, and structured diagnostic interviews were used to understand better the women that comprised this vulnerable population. One-in-five of the women had a current co-occurring disorder (CCOD). The findings revealed that significantly more women with a CCOD had been exposed to violence and were exposed to drugs at a younger age. Further, about one-third of women with a CCOD had received no treatment from a health care professional in the past year, demonstrating a substantial unmet need. We conclude that investing in mental and behavioral health care in jails is critical to the health and safety of women as well as the communities to which they return.
Journal of correctional health care : the official journal of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 2009
To date, little research has systematically investigated perceptions of mental health professiona... more To date, little research has systematically investigated perceptions of mental health professionals regarding motivations for self-injury among prison inmates. To help fill this gap, the authors used descriptive techniques to examine self-injurious behavior among inmates from the perspective of correctional mental health professionals. A quantitative survey assessed perceptions of mental health staff regarding etiology, motivations, and manifestations of self-injury. A qualitative interview component was used to explicate responses from the survey. Inmate cutting, scratching, opening old wounds, and inserting objects were the most commonly witnessed behaviors. Findings suggest that self-injury occurred regularly and that a subset of inmates are responsible for recurrent events. Mental health professionals perceived the motivation for inmate self-injury to be both manipulative and a coping mechanism. They described current management strategies and corresponding needs for training an...
Tradition a Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought, Aug 12, 2009
Social workers are becoming increasingly aware of the unique experiences faced by children of inc... more Social workers are becoming increasingly aware of the unique experiences faced by children of incarcerated parents. Little is known, however, about their experiences prior to their parents being incarcerated. Using data from a broader study of incarcerated women, we examined women’s accounts of their children’s exposure to violence prior to maternal incarceration. Open-ended interviews addressed family and relationship history, physical
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Papers by D. Dehart