Factors Influencing Service Provider Motivation to Help Adolescent Victims of Partner Violence

Abstract

In this study, the authors (a) examined the influence of three situational factors—level of provocation by the victim, frequency of the violence, and visibility of injuries sustained by the victim—on service providers' motivation to help adolescent victims of partner violence and (b) proposed that perceptions of seriousness and attribution of blame mediate the relationship between situational factors and motivation to help. Three hundred and thirty-one service providers from a rural county completed questionnaires. Providers indicated their perception of seriousness, attribution of blame, and motivation to help a victim of partner violence based on scenarios that manipulated situational factors. Findings indicate that provocation influenced motivation to help female victims, whereas frequency of the violence influenced motivation to help males. Perception of seriousness and attribution of blame did not mediate the relationships between situational variables and motivation to help. Theoretical explanations for gender differences, study limitations, and future studies are discussed.