About

Amy Hammock, PhD, MSW, is an Associate Professor at the Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare. Her educational background includes a PhD from the University of Michigan in Social Work and Sociology, an MSW from the University of Michigan, a Fulbright Scholarship at Colégio de México, and a BA from Swarthmore College. Her areas of interest encompass intimate partner violence intervention and prevention, community-based participatory research, community practice with immigrant populations, qualitative methods, and feminist theory and practice. Her research activities include interdisciplinary projects such as the Healthy Libraries Lab, which collaborates with faculty from Stony Brook Medicine and local libraries to provide and assess health and social services to library patrons. She is also involved in evaluating programs like Fatherhood FIRE and Project SPARK, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, focusing on family resilience and support for abused parents and their children. Additionally, her work addresses violence and HIV transmission in perinatally-infected adolescents. Dr. Hammock has received numerous awards, including the Outstanding Teacher Award at Stony Brook University, the Student Life Award for sexual violence prevention efforts, and the Frederick R. Preston Partnership Award for service to student life. She has also been a Fulbright Fellow and an NIMH Training Fellow, and she is a member of several professional organizations such as the American Public Health Association and the Society for Social Work and Research.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychology
• Nursing
• Political Science
• Medical education
• Computer Science
• Public relations
• Medical emergency
• Public administration
• Biology
• Developmental psychology
• Environmental health
• Pedagogy
• Law

Selected publications

• An exploratory test of the pathways between adverse childhood experiences and later perpetration of intimate partner violence in South African male youth using theoretical frameworks

  Child Abuse & Neglect · 2026-03-19

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• ‘It Is Not My Business’: Adolescent Boys’ Experiences and Responses to Community Violence in Soweto, South Africa

  Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma · 2026-03-17

  articleOpen access

  Background: Community violence is linked to adverse social and health outcomes. South Africa has high rates of community violence, particularly in townships where higher rates of poverty and unemployment are reported. The purpose of this study was to understand adolescent boys' experiences, perceptions, and responses to community violence. Methods: This study employed a qualitative design, conducting in-depth interviews with 48 adolescent boys aged 15-19 in Soweto, South Africa. This sample was drawn from a larger longitudinal study (2020-2023) of 498 young males, both living with and without HIV, investigating the associations of violence with HIV transmission. Participants were asked about their experiences with community violence and related health behaviors. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants described multiple and intersecting forms of community violence including physical assaults, gender-based violence, group or gang-related attacks, robberies and entire communities against one person, known as "mob justice". These were perceived as routine and normal aspects of daily life linked to drug dealing, alcohol abuse, establishing gang territory, jealousy over girls, and limited opportunities for young men. Violence was also connected to masculine identity and used as expressions of strength, loyalty, and group defense. Coping strategies ranged from avoiding conflicts and emotional detachment to joining gangs for protection. There were mixed opinions on the utility of calling the police because they did not consistently respond. Conclusions: Our findings show how community violence is embedded in the lived realities of adolescent boys. Interventions must address both current and historical causes by improving employment, teaching communication and conflict resolution skills and rebuilding relationships between communities and police.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Daily Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Adolescent Boys in Soweto, South Africa: A Mixed-Methods Study

  Violence Against Women · 2025-06-10

  articleOpen access

  Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major global health concern and is particularly high among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. We collected weekly surveys for one year from 421 South African adolescent boys and conducted interviews with 48 participants. Quantitative analyses revealed that daily fluctuations in negative emotions were associated with higher odds of IPV perpetration, but binge drinking was not. Qualitative analyses highlighted anger, perceived infidelity, and emotional (dys)regulation as drivers of perpetration. South African adolescent boys exhibit unique risk factors for IPV compared to adult samples. Interventions for adolescents should incorporate emotional regulation and conflict management strategies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• “To Have a Father, Maybe I Was Going to be a Better Person”: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Effects of Biological Father Absence on Young Men in South Africa

  Journal of Applied Youth Studies · 2025-05-30 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Biological father absence affects children's well-being and development, with effects persisting into adult life due to associated factors such as economic hardship and psychological distress. In South Africa, where approximately 63% of children not living with their biological fathers, understanding how this absence affects young people is crucial. This study explores how the absence of biological fathers affects adolescent boys as they transition into adulthood. Drawing on Tsamaisano, a longitudinal study (2020-2023) involving 498 young males aged 16-20, some living with perinatal HIV and others HIV negative. We focused on 31 participants who participated in in-depth interviews about their experiences with violence in their households and communities, and reported the absence of a biological father in their upbringing. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analyzed. Four themes emerged: 1) the absence of biological fathers caused emotional pain, leading some participants to self-isolate and/or engage in aggressive behaviors as coping mechanisms; 2) participants perceived a loss of cultural and masculine identities as they felt disconnected from their paternal heritage; 3) they described experiencing poor financial security and emotional support, with mothers and other family members sometimes filling in the gaps; 4) despite these challenges, some participants reached stages of acceptance and closure over time, often with the support of extended family members provided care. This study highlights the need for interventions for adolescent boys that address emotional, social and developmental needs, which are vital for their overall health with implications for their adult lives.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• IPE Competencies Achieved Through Remote Delivery of Interprofessional Team-Based Field Work in Public Libraries During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Pedagogy in Health Promotion · 2025-05-04 · 1 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Social distancing during COVID-19 required that field work training for health profession students be delivered remotely. Little is known about educational outcomes among students who participated in interprofessional education (IPE) using remote delivery during the pandemic. This study examined the IPE learning outcomes among health profession students ( n = 39) from a large suburban academic health sciences center. Students from nursing (BSN), social work (BSW/MSW), public health (MPH), and library information science (MLIS) participated in a team-based IPE service-learning program in public libraries for up to 16 weeks. Students completed the IPEC Competency Self-Assessment tool at pre- and post-program participation, and responded to open-ended questions about their experience post-participation. Paired t -tests were used to compare pre- and post-test scores (both item and domain scores). Thematic analysis was used to analyze open ended responses. Paired t- tests for 30 students showed a statistically significant improvement in IP interactions ( p < .05) and an increase in IP values and ethics. Thematic analysis revealed competency attainment in all four IPEC core competencies as well as another learning outcome: confidence. Results suggest that remote delivery of an IPE program can be effective in achieving IPE learning outcomes.

  PublisherDOI

• The role of masculinity in HIV disclosure among adolescent South African boys living with HIV

  AIDS Care · 2025-08-21 · 1 citations

  article

  HIV transmission among adolescents remains a pressing public health challenge in South Africa. Onward HIV disclosure to sexual partners can reduce transmission, but disclosure is low among adolescents. Adherence to hegemonic masculine norms may create a barrier to disclosure among boys. Repeated measures designs are necessary to more accurately capture disclosure, which is an ongoing behavior shaped by multiple processes. 251 South African adolescent boys living with perinatally-acquired HIV and in an intimate relationship were enrolled between 2020-2023. They completed a survey capturing their adherence to masculine norms and their HIV disclosure self-efficacy. They then completed brief mobile surveys weekly for the following year, reporting their recent HIV disclosure behavior. Using mixed effects models, we found that adherence to hegemonic masculine norms at baseline was associated with significantly lower odds of onward HIV disclosure to a sexual partner over the study year. Adherence to hegemonic masculine norms was also associated with lower HIV disclosure self-efficacy at two timepoints. This study confirms a quantitative association between hegemonic masculinity and disclosure and extends the literature to an understudied population. To prevent new HIV infections among South African adolescents, it will be important to develop and adapt interventions that address hegemonic masculinity.

  PublisherDOI

• Testing the Pathways between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Later Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence in South African Male Youth Using Theoretical Frameworks

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• “They Say A Woman Has to Be Beaten Up in Order to Show That You Love Her, But I Don’t See It That Way”: South African Adolescent Males’ Experiences of Household Violence and Their Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence

  Journal of Interpersonal Violence · 2025-10-31

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  There is a documented relationship between adolescent males' experience of childhood violence and later perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV); however, less is known about how this connection occurs. Analysis of 38 in-depth interviews with male adolescents from Soweto, South Africa was conducted to understand how they made sense of their experiences of household violence, IPV, and the link between the two. Framework analysis was used to compare experiences and perceptions within and among participants. Participants in this study described a range of violence from their caregivers, including being neglected, regularly insulted, and beaten with a belt. Despite many having experienced some violence in their childhood homes, most participants reported not having been physically violent toward or yelling regularly at their girlfriends; instead, they described efforts to keep themselves calm when their girlfriends were verbally or physically aggressive. The main reasons cited for avoiding the use of violence were a conscious decision to act differently than the caregivers who had hurt them and a strong sense of their moral duty as men to take care of their partners. While not recognized as IPV by the participants, elements of emotional abuse and controlling behavior emerged in their accounts of interactions with their girlfriends, the explanations for which were based in experiences of emotional volatility and beliefs about masculinity learned in the home. Findings suggest possible avenues for primary prevention of IPV with male adolescents, such as programs focused on building skills in conflict de-escalation and emotional regulation and/or on creating more positive norms around masculinity.

  PublisherDOI

• When and how many: Factors associated with campus sexual assault reforms

  Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy · 2024-03-05 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Institutions of higher education have faced increasing pressure to comply with federal regulations and reform their response to campus sexual assault. This study explores institutions of higher education employees’ perceptions on whether decoupling, or organizational resistance to change, is associated with the number and timing of campus sexual assault reforms adopted. Early captured reforms instituted before the “Dear Colleague Letter” in 2011, mid included reforms instituted after the Dear Colleague Letter in 2011 but before the 2015–2016 academic year and during the period of heightened attention to campus sexual assault, and late which included reforms instituted during or after the 2015–2016 academic year. A web‐based survey of institutions of higher education employees familiar with sexual assault policy implementation on their campuses asked about types of reforms, timing, decoupling, and campus characteristics. Correlations and t‐tests were run to examine the types of reforms across time periods, and regression assessed the degree to which decoupling was associated with the number and timing of reforms. Higher decoupling was associated with fewer reforms in the early period and more in the late period, though not with the overall number of reforms adopted. Findings highlight the importance of understanding factors that influence change on campuses.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Violence as an obstacle to HIV medication adherence and viral suppression: A daily diary investigation among adolescent boys

  Social Science & Medicine · 2024-11-22 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Mieko Yoshihama

  8 shared

• Xiaoyue Zhang

  Capital University of Economics and Business

  6 shared

• Rachel Kidman

  Stony Brook University

  5 shared

• Carrie A. Moylan

  Michigan State University

  5 shared

• Candice Ramsammy

  University of the Witwatersrand

  4 shared

• R. Anna Hayward

  4 shared

• Elizabeth M. Inman

  State University of New York

  4 shared

• Phumla Madi

  University of the Witwatersrand

  4 shared

Awards & honors

• Outstanding Teacher Award, awarded by a vote of students, Pr…
• Student Life Award, awarded by the vice president of student…
• Frederick R. Preston Partnership Award, Stony Brook Universi…
• Fulbright Fellowship, Colegio de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico…
• NIMH Training Fellow in the Interdisciplinary Research Progr…