Eileen Abel

Clinical Professor of Social Work

Dr. Abel is an expert in the areas of domestic violence/intimate partner violence, HIV/AIDS, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

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Eileen Abel

Clinical Professor of Social Work

Dr. Abel is an expert in the areas of domestic violence/intimate partner violence, HIV/AIDS, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Media Contact

Biography

Dr. Abel is a clinical professor of social work at USC, where she teaches in both the Master of Social Work and Doctor of Social Work programs. She has published extensively in the areas of domestic violence/intimate partner violence, HIV/AIDS, practice effectiveness, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Her research approaches include both quantitative and qualitative methods, and several grants and contracts have supported her research endeavors. Abel has received numerous awards, including the Lois and Samuel Silberman Foundation Award and the Fahs-Beck Award for Research and Experimentation. As a tenured full professor at the University of Central Florida, she was the recipient of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award and three UCF Teaching Incentive Awards. From 2000 to 2004, she was director of the UCF interdisciplinary public affairs doctoral program. Abel has served on 19 dissertation committees. She holds a PhD in social welfare from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland.

Education

Case Western Reserve University: PhD

University of Maryland: MSW

Syracuse University: BA

Area of Expertise

Hiv/Aids
Practice Evaluation
Social Work Education
Intimate Partner Violence
Domestic Violence

Industry Experience

Research
Education/Learning

Research Interest

Social Work Education

Articles & Publications

A Social Learning Perspective on Childhood Trauma and Same-sex Intimate Partner Violence | Journal of Counseling and Development

Jacobson, L., Daire, A.P., Abel, E.M., Lambie, G.W. & Young, M.E.

2017 The family violence and childhood trauma literature has suggested that early adverse experiences create risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV). Thus, this study used a sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) college students (N = 266) to explore differences among childhood trauma, same-sex IPV, and IPV acceptance. The authors used survey methodology and multivariate analysis of variance. Results indicated that LGB individuals reporting childhood trauma also reported higher rates of IPV, suggesting implications for research and practice.

Gender expression differences in same-sex intimate partner violence victimization, perpetration, and attitudes among LGBTQ students | Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling

Jacobson, L., Daire, A.P., Abel, E.M. & Lambie, G.W.

2015 Intimate partnerviolence (IPV) occurs in same-sex relationships at greater rates compared to heterosexual relationships. Despite these elevated same-sex IPV, limited research exists on risk and protective factors (e.g., gender expression) related to victimization, perpetration, and attitudes about violence. Due to scarce research on characteristics of same-sex IPV, the study measured differences between feminine and masculine lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) college students (N = 266) in their self-reported victimization, perpetration, and acceptance of IPV. Results identified that masculine LGBTQ-identifying students reported higher levels of victimization, perpetration, and acceptance of violence, providing implications when assessing for risk and protective factors of same-sex IPV.

Intimate Partner Violence: Implications for Counseling Self-Identified LGBTQ College Students Engaged in Same-Sex Relationships | Journal Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling

Jacobson, L., Daire, A.P. & Abel, E.M.

2015 A gap in research exists regarding intimate partner violence (IPV) in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals' relationships. The article begins with an overview of IPV victimization, perpetration, and related attitudinal differences between male and female LGBTQ college students. Study results found that females reported higher levels of psychological victimization than gay males. Additionally, the male participants reported greater attitudinal acceptance of IPV. Counseling implications regarding IPV victimization, perpetration, and attitudinal acceptance for IPV among LGBTQ populations are discussed.