Dr. Kennedy is a Professor in the School of Social Work. Her research focuses broadly on interpersonal violence: She examines cumulative victimization (including community and school violence, witnessing family violence, physical and sexual child maltreatment, and physical, sexual, coercive, and economic partner violence) and associated outcomes among adolescents and young adults, particularly those who are poor or otherwise marginalized. She is especially interested in theory building (e.g., survivors’ help attainment, stigma and stigmatization among survivors, provider trustworthiness and survivor trust) and using innovative methods to explore patterns of co-occurring and cumulative victimization over time; she has expertise in both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Current research projects use mixed methods and the life history calendar to capture change over time: 1) young women’s experiences with co-occurring forms of partner violence across adolescence, beginning with their first relationship; 2) cumulative victimization, mental health, protective processes, and help attainment among young transgender women; and 3) economic abuse and coerced debt among women who have divorced abusive partners.
Selected Publications
- Kennedy, A. C., Prock, K. A., Adams, A. E., Littwin, A., Meier, E., Saba, J., & Vollinger, L. (2024). Can this provider be trusted? A review of the role of trustworthiness in the provision of community-based services for intimate partner violence survivors. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 25(2), 982-999.
- Kennedy, A. C., Bybee, D., Adams, A. E., Moylan, C. A., & Prock, K. A. (2022). The effects of social location and situational factors on young women’s disclosure of intimate partner violence across relationships. Violence and Victims, 37(1), 44-62.
- Kennedy, A. C., Meier, E., & Prock, K. A. (2021). A qualitative study of young women’s abusive first relationships: What factors shape their process of disclosure? Journal of Family Violence, 36(7), 849-864.
- Kennedy, A. C., Bybee, D., Moylan, C. A., McCauley, H. L., & Prock, K. A. (2021). Predictors of sexual violence across young women’s relationship histories. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 36(11-12), NP5944-NP5964.
- Kennedy, A. C., & Prock, K. A. (2018). “I still feel like I am not normal”: A review of the role of stigma and stigmatization among female survivors of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 19(5), 512-527.
- Kennedy, A. C., Bybee, D., McCauley, H. L., & Prock, K. A. (2018). Young women’s intimate partner violence victimization patterns across multiple relationships. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 42(4), 430-444.
