David Rodriguez

David Rodriguez is a DPhil Student in the Department of Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation working under the supervision of Jane Barlow. He holds a Master of Science in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation from the University of Oxford, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.  

David has spent his career researching social interventions that impact children across the domains of education, social work, and prevention services. These include evaluations for the United States federal government, state governments, and non-profits, as well as work for the United Kingdom Department for Education. In his most recent work at Foundations - the What Works Centre for Children and Families, David worked with domestic violence and abuse interventions across England to further develop their program theory and test the feasibility of impact evaluations in this space.  

His research follows recent policy and research developments in the areas of domestic abuse and child development. It is recognised that adverse childhood experiences, including intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure, can impact the developing child as early as the prenatal period and the first 1,001 days of life. Research thus far has found negative outcomes associated with child exposure to IPV, including adverse birth outcomes, physiological functioning, medical system engagement, physical health, mental ill health, and attachment. At the same time, the evidence base for interventions meant to address this is still nascent. A promising subset of intervention approaches includes those meant to address the behaviour of the perpetrator parent to stop IPV altogether.  

David’s doctoral research seeks to contribute to the emerging body of evidence on the biological impact of IPV exposure on children through synthesizing existing evidence, further investigating theorized mechanisms through secondary data analysis, and eventually using these findings to further inform IPV intervention development. He has a particular interest in trauma-informed methodology and principles of equitable evaluation.