Tag: Renee McDonald

New World Notes: Virtual Reality-Based Assertiveness Training Reportedly Leads to Less Sexual Victimization, Pilot Program Finds

Post author By Margaret Allen
Post date January 30, 2015

Can virtual reality and 3D gaming help people stand up for themselves in real life?

Journalist Wagner James Au, who delves into the details of all things Metaverse on his New World Notes blog, covered the research of SMU clinical psychologist Lorelei Simpson Rowe and her co-authors Ernest N. Jouriles and Renee McDonald.

Au’s coverage includes details of how SMU researchers developed the training simulation by modifying the popular first-person video game Half-Life 2, combined with a virtual reality headset.

Simpson Rowe, an associate professor and graduate program co-director in the SMU Department of Psychology, is lead author on the pilot study from SMU.

The virtual-reality simulation component of “My Voice, My Choice” utilizes a software program developed by Jouriles and McDonald in conjunction with SMU’s award-winning Guildhall video gaming program. Jouriles and McDonald are clinical psychologists in the SMU Psychology Department. Jouriles is professor and chair. McDonald is a professor and associate dean of research and academic affairs for Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

Results of their study found teen girls were less likely to report being sexually victimized after learning to assertively resist unwanted sexual overtures and practicing resistance in a realistic virtual environment.

The effects persisted over a three-month period following the training.

The New World Notes blog article, “Virtual Reality-Based Assertiveness Training Reportedly Leads to Less Sexual Victimization, Pilot Program Finds,” was published Jan. 28.

Read the full blog post.

EXCERPT:

By Wagner James Au
New World Notes
Can virtual reality and 3D gaming help people stand up for themselves in real life? In a pilot study developed by Southern Methodist University, a group of young women practiced assertiveness against male sexual aggression using a modified version of Half-Life 2 and a VR headset. After the training (dubbed “My Voice, My Choice”), as this summary indicates, the early results were extremely positive: “22 percent in the control group reported sexual victimization during the three-month follow-up period, compared to only 10 percent in the ‘My Voice, My Choice’ group.” (Emphasis mine, because it bears emphasis.) While this is just initial data working from a small sample, the growth of virtual reality makes this study one worth repeating in other pilot programs, so I reached out to the lead researchers, Dr. Lorelei Simpson Rowe and Anthony Cuevas, for more details on their training program:

What were some of the most interesting personal reactions to this simulation?

Dr. Lorelei Simpson Rowe: “Many participants were surprised at how difficult it was to be assertive. They thought of themselves as being able to be assertive, but found it more challenging in the simulations than they expected. At the same time, many of the participants also seemed to feel more confident after they successfully used the skills and got positive feedback from others.

“Most students chose to participate in the study because they were given gift cards to thank them for their time – they weren’t initially interested in the program – but afterward, they told us how important it was and that they felt all students should go through MVMC.”

What advice would you give other researchers and developers working on similar VR experiences?

Dr. Lorelei Simpson Rowe: “I think important next steps will include developing fully computerized protocols (i.e., those that don’t require an actor). Additionally, the simulations need to be realistic and consistent with experiences that participants might actually have.”

Read the full blog post.

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SMU is a nationally ranked private university in Dallas founded 100 years ago. Today, SMU enrolls nearly 11,000 students who benefit from the academic opportunities and international reach of seven degree-granting schools. For more information see www.smu.edu.

SMU has an uplink facility located on campus for live TV, radio, or online interviews. To speak with an SMU expert or book an SMU guest in the studio, call SMU News & Communications at 214-768-7650.

Tags Dedman College, Ernest Jouriles, Lorelei Simpson Rowe, Renee McDonald, SMU Department of Psychology

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Raw Story: Teaching girls to say ‘no’ in virtual reality cuts sexual victimization by half — study

Post author By Margaret Allen
Post date January 26, 2015

Blogger Scott Kaufman on the Internet news site Raw Story covered the research of SMU clinical psychologist Lorelei Simpson Rowe and her co-authors Ernest N. Jouriles and Renee McDonald.

Simpson Rowe, an associate professor and graduate program co-director in the SMU Department of Psychology, is lead author on the pilot study from SMU.

The effects persisted over a three-month period following the training.

The Raw Story article, “Teaching girls to say ‘no’ in virtual reality cuts sexual victimization by half: study,” was published Jan. 25.

Read the full story.

EXCERPT:

By Scott Kaufman
Raw Story
study by researchers at Southern Methodist University has demonstrated that teenage girls who learn to assertively decline sexual advances in a virtual reality simulator are less likely suffer long term effects from sexual victimization.

The training program, called “My Voice, My Choice,” allowed “girls to practice being assertive in a realistic environment. The intent of the program is for the learning opportunity to increase the likelihood that they will use the skills in real life,” associate professor of psychology at SMU Simpson Rowe said.

“Research has shown that skills are more likely to generalize if they are practiced in a realistic environment, so we used virtual reality to increase the realism,” she continued. “It is very promising that learning resistance skills and practicing them in virtual simulations of coercive interactions could reduce the risk for later sexual victimization.”

The simulation training is similar to technology used to train soldiers, physicians, and pilots. Small groups of two to four women were trained by a facilitator how to engage in “assertive resistance,” including the use of a firm voice, exhibiting confidence in body language, and clearly stating their limits. They then practiced these skills in the “virtual coercive simulator” designed by the SMU research team.

In it, they would be seated on a bed with a male who engaged in aggressive behavior that escalated in the face of the teen’s resistance. The teens would then review footage of their encounter with the facilitator and the other members of their group.

Renee McDonald, one of the study’s co-authors, said that “one advantage the virtual simulations offer is the ability to actually observe whether, and how, the girls are using the skills in coercive situations that feel very real.”

“This provides girls with opportunities for immediate feedback and accelerated learning, and for facilitators to easily spot areas in need of further strengthening. The value of this advantage can’t be overstated.”

Read the full story.

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Tags Dedman College, Ernest Jouriles, Lorelei Simpson Rowe, Psychology, Renee McDonald

Culture, Society & Family Health & Medicine Learning & Education Mind & Brain

Teen girls report less sexual victimization after virtual reality assertiveness training

Post author By Margaret Allen
Post date January 20, 2015

Study participants in the “My Voice, My Choice” program practiced saying “no” to unwanted sexual advances in an immersive virtual environment

Teen girls were less likely to report being sexually victimized after learning to assertively resist unwanted sexual overtures and practicing resistance in a realistic virtual environment, finds a new study.

The effects persisted over a three-month period following the training, said clinical psychologist Lorelei Simpson Rowe, lead author on the pilot study from Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

The research also found that those girls who had previously experienced dating violence reported lower levels of psychological aggression and psychological distress after completing the program, relative to girls in a comparison group.

“The virtual simulations allowed girls to practice being assertive in a realistic environment. The intent of the program is for the learning opportunity to increase the likelihood that they will use the skills in real life,” said Simpson Rowe, an associate professor and graduate program co-director in the SMU Department of Psychology. “Research has shown that skills are more likely to generalize if they are practiced in a realistic environment, so we used virtual reality to increase the realism.”

The training program, called “My Voice, My Choice,” emphasizes that victims do not invite sexual violence and that they have the right to stand up for themselves because violent or coercive behavior is never OK.

“It is very promising that learning resistance skills and practicing them in virtual simulations of coercive interactions could reduce the risk for later sexual victimization,” said Simpson Rowe.

She cautioned, however, that the research is preliminary and based on a small sample: 42 in the “My Voice, My Choice” condition and 36 in a control condition. Future research is needed to establish the benefits of the program across different age groups and populations, for example, college versus high school students.

The study’s strengths included its randomized controlled design and a high participant retention rate among the 78 teen girls in the study.

The virtual-reality simulation component of “My Voice, My Choice” utilizes a software program developed by study co-authors Ernest N. Jouriles and Renee McDonald in conjunction with SMU’s Guildhall video gaming program. Jouriles and McDonald are clinical psychologists in the SMU Psychology Department. Jouriles is professor and chair. McDonald is a professor and associate dean of research and academic affairs for Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

“One advantage the virtual simulations offer is the ability to actually observe whether, and how, the girls are using the skills in coercive situations that feel very real,” McDonald said. “This provides girls with opportunities for immediate feedback and accelerated learning, and for facilitators to easily spot areas in need of further strengthening. The value of this advantage can’t be overstated.”

One question that remains for future research is whether the practice in virtual simulations was the operative factor that reduced sexual victimization, Simpson Rowe said.

“We need to determine if practice in a virtual setting is the key factor in making the intervention effective, or if other factors, such as being encouraged to stand up for themselves, led to the outcomes,” she said.

The researchers reported their findings, “Reducing Sexual Victimization among Adolescent Girls: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of My Voice, My Choice,” in the journal Behavior Therapy. The article is published online in advance of print at http://bit.ly/1Cxwva7.

Females who firmly resist unwanted advances stand a greater chance of escaping a sexually coercive situation
The current study builds on decades of earlier related studies by a broad range of researchers.

– About 25 to 50 percent of women in the U.S. are victims of sexual violence, usually in their teens or early 20s, according to a 2006 report by the U.S. Department of Justice. While many sexual violence prevention programs have been developed, few have been rigorously evaluated and even fewer have been shown to actually reduce sexual victimization.

– Historically, risk-reduction programs teach skills to identify and escape threats, and are typically targeted at females. Usually they only have small-to-moderate effects on victimization, or don’t succeed in any reduction.

– There is significant research evidence, however, that girls and women who say “no” firmly, yell, or physically fight back have a better chance of escaping a sexually coercive situation without being raped, compared to those who freeze, cry, apologize or politely resist, which some attackers view as “token” refusals.

– Simulation training using virtual reality is used routinely and successfully to train soldiers, physicians and pilots. Extensive research has shown that skills learned under stressful or dangerous conditions similar to those occurring in real life are more likely to generalize to the real world. The real-world context, in the case of the current study, is sexual coercion or unwanted sexual advances.

Small groups met with trained facilitator, provided peer feedback
Participants were 78 female students in 9th through 12th grade from an all-girls urban high school.

The teens were randomly assigned to either the group that received the “My Voice, My Choice” training or to a wait-list control group. In total, 42 girls completed the virtual reality training, while 36 were in the control group that received no training until the end of the follow-up.

“Although young women are aware of the risk of sexual violence, they don’t always view that risk as relevant to themselves and aren’t always eager to sit through a 90-minute program,” Simpson Rowe said. The girls were thus provided gift cards to a local store for their time.

Training started with a small group of 2 to 4 young women led by a trained female facilitator. For 30 minutes the facilitator explained and modeled assertive resistance, teaching the girls how to make it clear that sexual coercion and unwanted advances are not acceptable, such as using a firm voice tone, showing confident body language, and stating their limits (e.g., “I don’t want to have sex with you, so stop asking me”).

Each small group then transitioned to practicing the skills in the virtual coercive simulations.

Variety of scenarios are simulated in a virtual bedroom
“In the small group setting, there was usually some nervous giggling or shyness at first, but the girls became really engaged when they practiced the skills in the virtual simulations,” Simpson Rowe said.

Through virtual-reality goggles connected to the computer with the simulation software, each girl viewed a male avatar seated next to her on a couch in a virtual bedroom. The avatar’s speech, facial expressions and movement were manipulated via computer by a male actor. The girls interacted with the avatar in a variety of simulations which were observed by the facilitator and other group members.

The young women then took turns practicing the “My Voice, My Choice” skills, reassured that they could stop at any time and would never actually be touched. Each participant engaged in three 2- to 3-minute simulations.

Simulations started with less intense scenarios, where the male was mildly pressuring, such as asking repeatedly for the girl’s phone number. Scenarios escalated to increasingly more severe situations, such as verbally coercing the girl to kiss him, becoming increasingly aggressive in speech, and being more persistent in the face of resistance.

Following each simulation, other group members and the facilitator provided feedback to each girl on how she could increase the effectiveness of her response. Suggestions included using a firmer tone of voice, and refusing without apologizing.

“The students really gave one another good feedback about how to improve,” Simpson Rowe said. “And once they went through the training they told us it was so valuable they’d recommend it for everyone.”

Reports of multiple episodes of sexual or physical victimization uncommon
Each month for three months afterward, the girls completed an established and well-validated 25-question survey, the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory, to assess occurrence of any sexual, physical or psychological victimization. They also completed a measure of psychological distress.

Results showed 22 percent in the control group reported sexual victimization during the three-month follow-up period, compared to only 10 percent in the “My Voice, My Choice” group.

“My Voice, My Choice” did not reduce rates of physical victimization. However, among those girls who had higher rates of previous dating violence victimization, completion of “My Voice, My Choice” was associated with lower rates of psychological victimization — being yelled at or called names, having a boy try to frighten or spread rumors about her — and lower rates of psychological distress.

That finding indicates the “My Voice, My Choice” training could also reduce the risk for psychological victimization and distress among girls who have been previously victimized.

“This finding is particularly noteworthy because other violence prevention programs have generally been ineffective or less effective for previously victimized young women,” said Simpson Rowe, who also heads the Couples Research Lab at SMU.

The research was funded by the Timberlawn Psychiatric Research Foundation, Dallas. — Margaret Allen

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Tags Ernest Jouriles, Lorelei Simpson, Lorelei Simpson Rowe, Renee McDonald, SMU Department of Psychology

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Sweden, SMU psychologists partner to launch parenting program that reduces child abuse

Post author By Margaret Allen
Post date June 26, 2013

SMU psychologists train Swedish social workers to use Project Support, a proven parenting program shown to reduce child abuse

The government of Sweden is partnering with psychologists at SMU to launch a parenting program shown to reduce child abuse. A two-year study funded by the Swedish government is looking at the feasibility of implementing the parenting program nationwide in that country.

The program, “Project Support,” was created by SMU psychologists Renee McDonald and Ernest Jouriles. Research has shown it reduces child abuse and neglect in severely violent families.

McDonald and Jouriles are partnering with Kjerstin Almqvist, a psychologist at Karlstad University in Sweden who specializes in the treatment of children suffering domestic violence, under a $730,000 grant from Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare. The grant was awarded to Swedish researchers investigating best practices for children exposed to domestic violence and child abuse.

McDonald and Jouriles were in Sweden recently to train social services agency staff on how to implement Project Support.

The parenting program will be rolled out initially to 100 families in the four Swedish cities of Stockholm, Trollhättan, Ronneby and Örebro. Social workers from the nation’s social service agencies in those cities will take Project Support into homes in which children have been exposed to severe family violence.

At the end of the two-year study, Swedish officials will determine if Project Support is to be endorsed for routine use in Swedish social service agencies for families in which the children have been exposed to family violence.

“This project is a great example of how science can be brought to bear to help alleviate real human suffering,” McDonald said. “Our Swedish colleagues are committed to ensuring that their country’s social services are demonstrably effective in reducing child maltreatment and improving the mental health of children in violent families.”

Project Support provides families with parenting help, emotional support
Project Support is an intensive, one-on-one program in which mental health service providers meet with families weekly in their homes for up to 6 months. During that time, parents are taught specific skills, including how to pay attention and play with their children, how to listen and comfort them, how to offer praise and positive attention, how to give appropriate instructions, and how to respond to misbehavior. Service providers also provide mothers with emotional support and help them access needed materials and resources through community agencies, such as food banks and Medicaid.

“Although the Swedish government makes sure every citizen can provide for their physical needs, many women who are victims of domestic violence need additional supports to help them leave a violent relationship and begin to live with their children on their own,” Almqvist said. “Swedish programs that provide support for mothers are successful helping them become independent and autonomous. However, such programs are not sufficient to help the children in the families overcome the adverse effects of the violence. Project Support has shown substantial positive effects for mothers as well as children in the U.S., and we hope it will be equally successful in Sweden.”

McDonald is an associate professor in the SMU Department of Psychology and is Associate Dean for Research in SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. Jouriles is a professor and chairman of the SMU Department of Psychology.

Almqvist is Professor in Medical Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Karlstad University.

Project Support decreased reports of abuse, improved family functioning
McDonald and Jouriles launched Project Support in the United States in 1996 to address the mental health problems of maltreated children and children exposed to domestic violence and child abuse. Those factors in childhood often lead to considerable problems for children later in life, such as substance abuse, interpersonal violence and criminal activity, say the SMU psychologists.

Project Support is listed on federal and state databases as an intervention for children in violent families that is supported by research evidence.

Research in Texas found the program reduced abusive parenting among mothers who live in poverty and whose families have a history of domestic violence or child abuse. Mothers reduced their use of harsh discipline and physical aggression toward their children and were much less likely to be referred to Texas Child Protective Services for child abuse. Project Support also improved children’s psychological adjustment, especially conduct problems, the researchers found.

Most recently, use of Project Support was expanded in Dallas to serve some families who were previously homeless. The oldest child abuse and prevention agency in Dallas, Family Compass, is supplying Project Support services to families served by the Housing Crisis Center, whose mission is to combat homelessness.

“Professor Almqvist approached us over a year ago about adapting Project Support for use in Sweden and conducting an evaluation of it in Sweden,” said McDonald. “We recently conducted an intensive training class for the staff members of the agencies who will be providing Project Support services. The next phase begins in September, when families begin to receive the services.”

Every year U.S. child welfare agencies receive more than 3 million reports of child abuse and neglect involving nearly 6 million children, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Approximately 13 percent of children in the U.S. are exposed to severe acts of inter-parent violence.

In Sweden, approximately 5 percent of that nation’s children are exposed to severe acts of inter-parent violence, according to Swedish statistics. — Margaret Allen

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For more information, www.smuresearch.com.

SMU is a nationally ranked private university in Dallas founded 100 years ago. Today, SMU enrolls nearly 11,000 students who benefit from the academic opportunities and international reach of seven degree-granting schools. For more information see www.smu.edu.

Tags Dedman College, Ernest Jouriles, Renee McDonald, SMU Department of Psychology

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Parenting program tackles child abuse and neglect among formerly homeless families

Post author By Margaret Allen
Post date March 6, 2013

SMU partners with Family Compass to roll out one-on-one parenting intervention to improve the lives of abused and neglected children

A parenting program developed by researchers in SMU’s Department of Psychology will now help Dallas-area families who were once homeless.

Family Compass, one of the oldest child abuse prevention agencies in Dallas, is expanding its use of “Project Support.” The Project Support program was developed by SMU psychologists Renee McDonald and Ernest Jouriles to reduce child abuse and neglect in severely violent families.

“Families who have been homeless are emerging from a very stressful situation,” McDonald said. “At a time when parents are trying to get back on their feet, Project Support provides structure and training that guide them in parenting their children in ways that are loving and effective. This helps children do better in school, feel happier and behave better at home.”

Family Compass will use Project Support in its new partnership with the Housing Crisis Center in Dallas. Starting this year, Family Compass will provide assistance to families in permanent and transitional supportive housing, said Jessica Trudeau, executive director of Family Compass.

An $18,000 grant to SMU from Verizon Foundation will fund Project Support for families referred to Family Compass either by Texas Child Protective Services or the Housing Crisis Center.

“The prevalence of families who are homeless in Dallas continues to escalate,” Trudeau said. “We are working with these families because the scientific literature indicates that housing instability places children at risk for abuse. At Family Compass, we seek to serve those at highest risk in our community. We believe that every child deserves protection and a hopeful future.”

The grant also will fund an in-depth evaluation of Project Support’s impact on Family Compass families to determine whether the program’s effects are maintained over time.

Families that consent to participate will be randomly assigned to one of two groups — one that will receive Project Support help, or a control group that will receive existing services through Texas Child Protective Services or the Housing Crisis Center, McDonald said. Each family will be assessed at the start of the program, after six months of services, and six months after they complete the program’s services.

The SMU Psychology Department will provide doctoral students to enroll families and conduct assessments, McDonald said.

McDonald is an associate professor in the SMU Department of Psychology and Associate Dean for Research in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences at SMU. Jouriles is a professor and chairman of the SMU Psychology Department.

Project Support provides families with parenting help, emotional support
Project Support was launched in 1996 to address the mental health problems of maltreated children and children exposed to domestic violence, both of which often lead to considerable problems for children later in life, such as substance abuse, interpersonal violence and criminal activity.

As part of Project Support, mental health professionals meet with families weekly in their homes for up to 6 months. During that time, caregivers are taught specific skills, including how to pay attention and play with their children, how to listen and comfort them, how to offer praise and positive attention, how to give appropriate instructions and commands, and how to respond to misbehavior.

Therapists also provide mothers with emotional support and help them access needed materials and resources through community agencies, such as food banks and Medicaid. The therapists help mothers evaluate the adequacy and safety of the family’s living arrangements, the quality of their child-care arrangements and how to provide sufficient food with little money.

Since its launch, Project Support has been adopted by agencies nationally and internationally as a treatment for children in violent families that is supported by research evidence.

Research found the program reduced abusive parenting among mothers who live in poverty and whose families have a history of domestic violence or child abuse. Mothers reduced their use of harsh discipline and physical aggression toward their children and were much less likely to be referred to Texas Child Protective Services for child abuse. Project Support also improved children’s psychological adjustment, especially conduct problems, the researchers found.

Project Support decreased reports of abuse, improved family functioning
“Family Compass approached us two years ago about adopting an intervention supported by clinical research,” said McDonald. “We started training their clinical workers. So this is a program that was incubated at SMU and is now being deployed in the community.”

Family Compass first implemented Project Support in 2011 with clients in its existing Parent Aide program. Parent Aide, a free home-visitation program, coaches parents in nonviolent discipline methods for up to two years, Trudeau said.

Founded in 1992, Family Compass has served more than 38,450 children and parents in its mission to guide families away from violence toward a healthy family.

The nonprofit organization’s clients include families referred to Texas Child Protective Services, Dallas Independent School District, Parkland Health and Hospital System, Baylor Hospital and other local agencies.

“So far, Project Support’s impact on families includes improved nonviolent parenting practices, decreased reports of abuse to Child Protective Services, and healthier children in families with improved functioning,” Trudeau said.

Every year U.S. child welfare agencies receive more than 3 million reports of child abuse and neglect involving nearly 6 million children, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Each day in the United States five children die from injuries related to abuse. — Margaret Allen

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Tags Dedman College, Ernest Jouriles, Renee McDonald, SMU Department of Psychology

Can virtual reality and 3D gaming help people stand up for themselves in real life?

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Study participants in the “My Voice, My Choice” program practiced saying “no” to unwanted sexual advances in an immersive virtual environment

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SMU psychologists train Swedish social workers to use Project Support, a proven parenting program shown to reduce child abuse

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SMU partners with Family Compass to roll out one-on-one parenting intervention to improve the lives of abused and neglected children

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