International Perspectives on Intimate Partner Violence Challenges and Opportunities

Sandra Stith, Ph.D., is a university distinguished professor emeritus in the couple and family therapy program at Kansas State University. She is also a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an Approved Supervisor. Her research focuses on partner violence. In 1997, she received NIMH funding to develop and test the effectiveness of a couple’s treatment program for partner violence. She has published four books and has co-authored more than 130 articles and book chapters on the topic, including a newly published article that describes how the program developed from NIMH funding for treating IPV has been adapted and delivered in Colombia, Iran, and Finland: Stith, Spencer, Ripoll-Núñez, Jaramillo-Sierra, Khodadadi, Nikparvar, Oksman, & Metelinen (2019). International adaptation of a treatment program for situational couple violence. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 1-17. In 2004, Dr. Stith received the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy’s Outstanding Contribution to Marriage and Family Therapy award. She received the American Family Therapy Association’s Distinguished Contribution to Family Systems Research award in 2007. And in 2012, she was named Fellow of the National Council on Family Relations.

Chelsea Spencer, Ph.D., is a research assistant professor in the couple and family therapy program at Kansas State University. Dr. Spencer researches intimate partner violence, intimate partner homicide, and sexual violence. She has worked on papers and presentations that have focused on risk for intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization as well as treatment for couples who have experienced situational couple violence in their relationship. Her overarching goal is to examine factors that could aid in violence prevention and intervention efforts. Dr. Spencer has authored or co-authored 34 journal articles, 7 book chapters and encyclopedia articles, and 71 presentations. She is alsoa licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in working with individuals who have experienced trauma, including individuals who have experience intimate partner violence.