Cultural Adaptation of a Web-Based App (myPlan Thailand) to Empower and Support Friends and Family of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors - TITLE: Cultural Adaptation of a Web-Based App (myPlan Thailand) to Empower and Support Friends/Family of
Intimate Partner Violence Survivors in Thailand.
Study Section & Awarding Component Assignment Request: Fogarty International Center
ABSTRACT:
This innovative proposal will support and empower friends/family (F/F) of intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors in
Thailand, where IPV is critical and common, and survivors first and foremost seek help for abuse from their F/F. myPlan app
(www.myPlanapp.org) is a free mobile evidence-based intervention app to prevent IPV. The app was first developed in the
United States (US) and has been disseminated to high-income countries (e.g., New Zealand, Canada, Australia) and low-
income (Kenya). One new hope for improving survivors’ psychological and well-being is adapting and introducing the
myPlan app for the concerned friends/family who support survivors in Thailand.
Therefore, the propose of this longitudinal research study, Cultural Adaptation of a Web-Based App (myPlan Thailand) to
Empower and Support Friends/Family of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors in Thailand, will have two consecutive phases
with three aims: 1) To tailor the myPlan app content for concerned F/F members of Thai IPV survivors, 2) To
integrate the adapted myPlan app content for concerned F/F members of Thai IPV survivors, 3) To test the feasibility
and acceptability of the adapted myPlan app with concerned F/F members of Thai IPV survivors. Phase 1 (Year 1-2)
will achieve aim 1-2 to tailor the myPlan app with Thai survivors and friends/family. We will review current content and
conduct in-depth interviews with survivors and concerned F/F members on social norms associated with IPV, informal
support systems and the role/responsibility in helping survivors, safety strategies used by concerned F/F members and
negative consequences for both survivor and F/F member providing support. Moreover, in phase 1, the adapted content will
be pilot tested with concerned F/F members of survivors by using cognitive techniques and theater-testing methodology.
Phase 2 (Year 3-4) will achieve aim 3 to test the feasibility and acceptability of the adapted myPlan app with F/F. We will
conduct a two-group RCT design with concerned F/F member randomized to receive a) the myPlan app for F/F member, or
b) standard usual-care safety planning information. Primary outcomes for F/F members include change in knowledge and
attitudes towards IPV and F/F empowerment to plan and take safety support survivor. Secondary outcomes will examine
change in F/F’ distress, frustration and consequences for supporting the survivor. This phase will also collect feasibility and
acceptability data to informed a planned R01 submission in Year 3 of the study.
The K43 application outlines a four-year plan to support a candidate who is a nursing instructor with 15 years of work in
diverse projects, settings, and disciplines; which positions her for a successful career as an independent researcher in research
field of intimate partner violence. The career development plan provides a sequence of carefully selected training and
mentoring experiences, including coursework to increase research capacity, leadership skills, mentored research leading to a
R01 proposal, peer reviewed publications, and professional networking, that will catapult this research to the next level of
research achievement. The team will be a collaboration between the Boromarajonani College of Nursing Khon Kaen
(BCNKK), Khon Kaen One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC), Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Notre Dame of Maryland
University (NDM), and Auckland University of Technology (AUT), New Zealand.
