title: Women's journey to safety - the Transtheoretical model in clinical practice when working with women experiencing Intimate Partner Violence: a scientific review and clinical guidance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Review the applicability of the Transtheoretical model and provide updated guidance for clinicians working with women experiencing intimate partner violence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Critical review of related primary research conducted from 1990 to March 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women's experiences of creating change within abusive relationships can be located within a stages of change continuum by identifying dominant behavioral clusters. The processes of change and constructs of decisional-balance and turning-points are evident in women's decision-making when they engage in change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians can use the stages of change to provide a means of assessing women's movement toward their nominated outcomes, and the processes of change, decisional-balance and turning-points, to enhance understanding of, and promote women's movement across stages in their journey to safety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should assess women individually for immediate and ongoing safety and well-being, and identify their overarching stage of change. Clinicians can support women in identifying and implementing their personal objectives to enhance self-efficacy and create positive change movement across stages. The three primary objectives identified for clinician support are: 1. Minimizing harm and promoting well-being within an abusive relationship, 2. Achieving safety and well-being within the relationship; halting the abuse, or 3. Achieving safety by ending/leaving intimate relationships.
authors.affiliation: Mother and Child Health Research, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Australia. Electronic address: s.reisenhofer@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reisenhofer
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taft
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008960:Models, Psychological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Clinical guidance; Domestic violence; Intimate partner violence; Stages of change; Transtheoretical model