TY - JOUR
T1 - Contradictions in change
T2 - Ecological factors in the implementation of outer layer sexual violence prevention
AU - Rieger, Agnes
AU - Blackburn, Allyson M.
AU - Nag, Apoorva
AU - Holland, Hope
AU - Allen, Nicole E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Community Research and Action.
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - This study examined the adoption and implementation process in early efforts to implement ecological (“outer layer”) sexual violence (SV) prevention strategies. Interviews with 28 preventionists from 26 local sites within a large, midwestern state, were conducted to examine individual preventionists' problem definitions of SV and ecological factors surrounding implementation. Findings suggest that SV prevention in the state is primarily implemented at the individual-level; when preventionists described engaging in or anticipating outer layer interventions, they were often tertiary (i.e., responding after perpetration; e.g., Sexual Assault Response Teams). A majority expressed problem definitions rooted within the individual (e.g., perpetration due to a lack of consent education), and a majority of implemented efforts matched this individual-level conceptualization. Yet, contradictions between problem definitions (e.g., SV stemming from oppression) and implemented activities (e.g., single-session educational interventions) emerged. Such contradictions may be best understood in light of contextual implementation influences: diverse preventionist job responsibilities, less training/support for outer layer prevention, preventionist autonomy, leadership messaging, time requirements, partner reticence, and extensive work with schools. Inner layer influences, including identification with job roles, preference for, and a sense of urgency toward inner layer work, appeared to interact with contextual factors. Implications across community psychology domains are discussed.
AB - This study examined the adoption and implementation process in early efforts to implement ecological (“outer layer”) sexual violence (SV) prevention strategies. Interviews with 28 preventionists from 26 local sites within a large, midwestern state, were conducted to examine individual preventionists' problem definitions of SV and ecological factors surrounding implementation. Findings suggest that SV prevention in the state is primarily implemented at the individual-level; when preventionists described engaging in or anticipating outer layer interventions, they were often tertiary (i.e., responding after perpetration; e.g., Sexual Assault Response Teams). A majority expressed problem definitions rooted within the individual (e.g., perpetration due to a lack of consent education), and a majority of implemented efforts matched this individual-level conceptualization. Yet, contradictions between problem definitions (e.g., SV stemming from oppression) and implemented activities (e.g., single-session educational interventions) emerged. Such contradictions may be best understood in light of contextual implementation influences: diverse preventionist job responsibilities, less training/support for outer layer prevention, preventionist autonomy, leadership messaging, time requirements, partner reticence, and extensive work with schools. Inner layer influences, including identification with job roles, preference for, and a sense of urgency toward inner layer work, appeared to interact with contextual factors. Implications across community psychology domains are discussed.
KW - implementation
KW - prevention
KW - settings
KW - sexual violence
KW - socioecological model
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85153585234&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1002/ajcp.12672
DO - 10.1002/ajcp.12672
M3 - Article
C2 - 37096398
AN - SCOPUS:85153585234
SN - 0091-0562
VL - 72
SP - 15
EP - 31
JO - American journal of community psychology
JF - American journal of community psychology
IS - 1-2
ER -