Family violence: principles of intervention and prevention.

The dispersal of clinical and research information on family violence among many subspecialties has obscured the multidimensional nature of the problem and the need for clinicians in all settings to develop a coherent approach to family violence. Through an interpretive review, the author discusses specific mental health contacts that necessitate the exploration of family violence. Failure to do so may lead to underdiagnosis of dissociative disorders and overdiagnosis of depressive disorders in victims. The author also discusses three types of interventions--verbalization, violence-prevention strategies, and advocacy and support--that are useful with victims, abusers, and other family members as well as with "battered professionals" who handle these cases, and describes a comprehensive intervention program.