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Treatments that Work for Intimate Partner Violence: Beyond the Duluth Model: The Translation of Evidence-Based Practices to Correctional Settings
Abstract
This chapter examines treatment options for intimate partner violence (IPV) with a focus on novel interventions. The chapter begins by discussing background information related to IPV, including prevalence rates and consequences. Historical treatment options are explored, specifically the Duluth model and cognitive behavioral therapies. In the past, treatments for IPV were gender-based, and the perpetrator was always considered to be male. The effectiveness of these interventions has been notoriously poor. In a move toward evidence-based practice, new interventions which are practical for female perpetrators or violent couples have been developed, including the Creating Health Relationships Program for couples and Strength at Home for Men for military personnel. Additionally, evidence supporting a new mindfulness-based intervention called Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior which was designed for court-mandated men or women who engage in IPV will be presented. Finally, there is a discussion of substance abuse treatment into intervention designed to treat IPV. The chapter concludes with directions for future research and clinical implications.
... Additionally, this model focuses almost exclusively on cognitions and does not account for the emotional components of IPV, despite evidence that emotions play an important role (Babcock et al., 2007). Similarly, this program cannot be utilized for females who perpetrate IPV or for same-sex couples given its exclusive focus on men's perceived control over women (Snead et al., 2018). Taken together, despite its widespread use, there are many criticisms of the Duluth model including but not limited to its failure to incorporate evidence-based practice and its failure to individualize intervention strategies based on clients' specific needs (Bohall et al., 2016;Corvo et al., 2009). ...
... Another recent review emphasizes the importance of a trauma-informed approach (Schauss et al., 2019), suggesting that many programs neglect the link between childhood trauma and later offending. Some ID:p0110 forceful critics of Duluth, CBT, and hybrid approaches argue that work in this area has historically been governed more by ideology and political entrenchment than by appropriate attention to evidence based practice and professional guidelines, leading to the frustrating persistence of models that simply do not achieve intended reductions in IPV (Graham-Kevan & Bates, 2020;Snead et al., 2018). There has recently been a push from researchers and providers for more evidence-based practice, which has created room for new modalities that incorporate a fresh approach with needed flexibility that can account for relevant contextual factors. ...
... far, ACT skills have been applied to the problem of IPV perpetration only within the context of men who are violent toward their female partners. However, as discussed, it is clear that an exclusive focus on male-to-female perpetration is outdated and misses important opportunities to address other forms of IPV (Snead et al., 2018). Although men convicted of domestic assault have been the first population for whom this intervention has been examined, one of the most important strengths of ACT is its inherent flexibility. ...
Interventions for men who perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV) have historically been relatively ineffective at reducing or stopping subsequent IPV. However, there are several strong theoretical reasons that suggest Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an intervention that emphasizes the use of mindfulness and aims to foster psychological flexibility, may be particularly well-suited to interrupting the factors that maintain IPV. The goal of the present article is to review the evidence for the application of ACT to target IPV. In addition, empirical studies that have, to date, shown promising initial support for a targeted intervention (Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior; ACTV) are reviewed. The implications for using ACT-based skills with perpetrators of IPV are discussed, along with potential future directions and further applications of ACT to hard-to-treat populations.
... 182 A review of thirty-one studies examining the rates at which females were the perpetrators in relationships estimates that domestic violence perpetrated by women in the last year was up to sixty-eight percent of all domestic violence cases examined in those studies. 183 Over three million acts of domestic violence occur annually to men. 184 Approximately 800,000 male assaults occur annually. ...
... Consequences of DV include deteriorated physical and mental health and well-being of those who experience violence (Ellsberg et al., 2008;Yunus et al., 2019). In the United States, the annual cost of DV is estimated to be $5.8 billion, of which $4.1 billion account for related medical and mental health care services (Snead et al., 2018). ...
Purpose
Despite the emergence of alternative models to traditional Batterer Intervention Programs (BIPs) to address domestic violence (DV), little research has explored stakeholders’ perceptions and experiences of various treatment approaches. Therefore, this study, guided by the stakeholder engagement framework, explored the experiences, attitudes, and beliefs of court personnel and clinicians involved in mandated treatment for those convicted of DV crimes.
Method
Two focus groups and nine semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with court personnel and clinicians and were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological approach.
Findings
Five themes emerged: (1) “Capturing a true batterer”: The discrepancy between common perceptions of DV batterers, the legal definition of DV offenses, and the standard treatment approach for DV crimes; (2) A “cookie-cutter” approach: The controversy over the one-size-fits-all approach of court-mandated treatment; (3) “I don’t have the tools”: Professionals’ frustration with policy and practice limitations; (4) The need for more inclusive treatment: Broadening the range of participants involved in the DV treatment process, and (5) A call for a shift in pedagogy: A new paradigm for DV and DV treatment. Overall, various stakeholders (i.e., court personnel and clinicians) expressed a sense of helplessness while attempting to navigate current DV statutes, court-mandated BIPs/DV treatment, and the realities of DV.
Conclusion
The narratives of stakeholders point to the desire and the need for a new treatment paradigm to address the various types of DV crimes, the needs of those convicted of misdemeanor DV crimes, and the broader impact of DV.
... These include, for example, school-based dating and sexual violence curricula such as Fourth R, Safe Dates, Coaching Boys Into Men, and Shifting Boundaries (De La Rue et al., 2014), as well as programs for married and engaged couples, and prospective parents (Hawkins & Fackrell, 2010), which have been tested through large-scale and methodologically rigorous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and found to be effective. Alternative approaches to promoting healthy relationship skills with non-autistic populations include support groups for people who have experienced abuse in intimate relationships (Allen et al., 2021;Schechter et al., 1985;Tutty et al., 1993), intervention groups for people who have perpetrated partner violence (Snead et al., 2018), and social and emotional learning programs for children (Corcoran et al., 2018). ...
This study tested the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a six-session online class on healthy relationships for autistic individuals ages 18–44 years old (N = 55). The content of the Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum class was informed by formative research with 25 autistic individuals, and developed collaboratively by two non-autistic professionals and seven autistic self-advocates. Fifty-five autistic people participated in Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum and completed pre- and post-surveys. The study found that it was feasible to deliver Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum online. Pairing an autistic and non-autistic person to co-teach was well-received. Participants decreased hostile automatic thoughts (p < 0.05), involvement in dating abuse in intimate relationships (p < 0.05), fight-or-flight response (p < 0.05), and rejection sensitivity (p < 0.001). Participants experienced improved flourishing (p < 0.001), coping with rejection and jealousy (p < 0.001), motivation to engage with others for socializing (p < 0.05), self-compassion (p < 0.05), and positive thinking (p < 0.05). Scores on a measure of interpersonal competence did not change, and loneliness did not decrease. The majority of participants reported high satisfaction with the class. Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum is a promising healthy relationships promotion class that should be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial.
Lay abstract
The Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum class is unique because autistic people helped to develop it and co-taught it. It is an online, six-session class. The class was piloted in 2020–2021 with 55 autistic people who were ages 18–44 years old. This feasibility study found that most people who took the class liked it. Surveys filled out by the students before and after the class showed that they became less sensitive to rejection, used more positive thinking skills, and were more interested in being social. However, the class may not have made them feel less lonely. The team that invented the class is using the feedback to improve it. The class holds promise for improving the quality of friendships and dating relationships for autistic adults and should be tested further.
... Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe but preventable public health issue that affects millions of Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019). Military couples may experience a higher frequency of IPV compared to their civilian counterparts (Marshall et al., 2005;Snead et al., 2018). Military couples differ from civilian couples in a number of ways, including that they may be exposed to additional risks as a condition of military service (Frey et al., 2011). ...
Objective
This study uses a stress process framework and person-centered methods to describe patterns of concurrent stressors across multiple domains and to associate patterns with female military spouse mental health.
Background
Most military families are resilient. However, a subset of military spouses experiences adverse outcomes in the context of war-related stress. To date, a focus on military-specific stressors has largely obscured the effects of stress unrelated to military service on the well-being of military spouses.
Methods
Data were drawn from a 2012 survey of 343 U.S. Army spouses, measuring intrapersonal (e.g., adverse childhood experiences), family (e.g., work–family conflict), and military stressors (e.g., cumulative deployments). Outcomes included moderate or more severe depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Results
The three-step method of latent class analysis identified three classes: low (58.86% of participants), moderate (21.62%), and high (19.52%) stress. Prevalence of mental health problems was significantly elevated in the high-stress class. In this group, 35.3%, 36.3%, and 39.5% of spouses' screenings indicated at least moderate depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptomatology, compared with 3.0%, 3.9%, and 2.7% in the low-stress group.
Conclusions
Results suggest many military spouses have low stress exposure across domains and low rates of mental health symptoms. However, a subset of spouses may experience both intrapersonal and family-level risk associated with elevated rates of mental health problems.
Implications
Findings highlight the critical role of nonmilitary stressors in the lives of military spouses and the importance of assessing for and providing support to spouses around these issues.
... Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe but preventable public health issue that affects millions of Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019). Military couples may experience a higher frequency of IPV compared to their civilian counterparts (Marshall et al., 2005;Snead et al., 2018). Military couples differ from civilian couples in a number of ways, including that they may be exposed to additional risks as a condition of military service (Frey et al., 2011). ...
Military spouses are an understudied population with respect to intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Due to the unique demands of service members’ jobs, military couples are documented to experience particular individual, couple, and family-level risk factors that may lead to IPV perpetration. Using the frustration-aggression hypothesis and considering the possibility of mutual violence, we examined (a) the direct effects of stressful events, marital discord, and work–family conflict on IPV perpetration among military spouses and (b) the indirect effect of anger arousal between stressful events, marital discord, and work–family conflict on IPV perpetration. This study is a secondary analysis of data drawn from a survey of army spouses conducted by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in 2012. The sample consists of 314 female spouses of active-duty members (white 75%, enlisted 80%). After controlling for covariates (including spouse race, rank, household size, age, living distance from military installation), the direct effects of marital discord and anger on IPV perpetration were statistically significant. Also, the direct effects of marital discord and work–family conflict on anger were significant. The path model demonstrated that the indirect effects of marital discord and work–family conflict on IPV perpetration via anger were significant. Finally, most physical and verbal violence was reported to occur in the form of mutual violence with their partners. Study findings suggest that the pathway of risk factors impacting IPV might differ depending on the sources of stress. The Family Advocacy Program, military social work practitioners, and other behavioral health providers should consider domains of risk and provide support to military spouses that is specifically tailored to these risk factors. Furthermore, considering the mediating role of anger arousal in the relationship between marital discord, work–family conflict and IPV, programs to address anger might be helpful to reduce IPV among military spouse perpetrators.
... In most cases, rehabilitation programs of intimate partner offenders use multiple components identified in different theoretical models. Some of these programs include the Duluth Model, cognitive-behavioral therapy or new mindfulness-based intervention called Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior which was designed for court-mandated men or women who engage in intimate partner violence (Snead et al., 2018). In all cases, the contribution of virtual reality as a therapist's tool for deepening the induction of emotional and cognitive changes and incorporating fair and healthy attitudes and behaviors within relationships is feasible. ...
Immersive virtual reality is widely used for research and clinical purposes. Here we explored the impact of an immersive virtual scene of intimate partner violence experienced from the victim’s perspective (first person), as opposed to witnessing it as an observer (third person). We are ultimately interested in the potential of this approach to rehabilitate batterers and in understanding the mechanisms underlying this process. For this, non-offender men experienced the scene either from the perspective of the victim’s virtual body (a female avatar), which moved synchronously with the participants’ real movements, or from the perspective of an observer, while we recorded their behavior and physiological responses. We also evaluated through questionnaires, interviews and implicit association tests their subjective impressions and potential pre/post changes in implicit gender bias following the experience. We found that in all participants, regardless of perspective, the magnitude of the physiological reactions to virtual threatening stimuli was related to how vulnerable they felt for being a woman, the sensation that they could be assaulted, how useful the scene could be for batterer rehabilitation, and how different it would have been to experience the scenario on TV. Furthermore, we found that their level of identification with the female avatar correlated with the decrease in prejudice against women. Although the first-person perspective (1PP) facilitated taking the scene personally, generated a sensation of fear, helplessness, and vulnerability, and tended to induce greater behavioral and physiological reactions, we show that the potential for batterer rehabilitation originates from presence and identification with the victim, which in turn is more easily, but not exclusively, achieved through 1PP. This study is relevant for the development of advanced virtual reality tools for clinical purposes.
... Although in our study we did not use IPVAW offender typologies, those participants with higher scores in risk of future violence against non-partners could be classified as generally violent/ antisocial . Our results support the idea that risk assessment and management of those generally violent participants should be a key intervention target to improve BIP effectiveness (Arbach & Bobbio, 2018;Bowen, 2011;Cantos, Kosson, Goldstein, & O'Leary, 2019;López-Ossorio et al., 2018;Snead, Bennett, & Babcock, 2018). ...
... Although in our study we did not use IPVAW offender typologies, those participants with higher scores in risk of future violence against non-partners could be classified as generally violent/ antisocial . Our results support the idea that risk assessment and management of those generally violent participants should be a key intervention target to improve BIP effectiveness (Arbach & Bobbio, 2018;Bowen, 2011;Cantos, Kosson, Goldstein, & O'Leary, 2019;López-Ossorio et al., 2018;Snead, Bennett, & Babcock, 2018). ...
Strategies to reduce intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) can be targeted at different levels. Batterer intervention programs (BIPs) are among the main treatment approaches for IPVAW offenders. The most common outcome used in the evaluation of BIP effectiveness is recidivism. Efforts to increase BIP effectiveness in reducing recidivism should focus on key predictive variables of this outcome. The aim of this study was to identify key predictors of official recidivism from a large set of variables drawn from a sample of IPVAW offenders court-mandated to a community-based BIP (N = 393), with a follow-up period of between 0 and 69 months. To this end, a survival analysis was conducted using four sets of variables: individual-level, relational-and contextual-level, violence-related, and intervention process-related variables. To include all variables in the analysis simultaneously, a Cox regression model was estimated with the adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (ALASSO). From a pool of eighty-nine variables, six were selected as key predictors of recidivism: dropout, risk of future violence against non-partners, family violence exposure, immigrant status, accumulation of stressful life events, and trait anger. The area under the receiving operator characteristic (ROC) curve was .808, indicating good prediction of the model. The key predictors of recidivism found in this study should be considered by professionals and researchers in the BIP field to improve their evaluation and intervention strategies. Practical implications for future research are also discussed.
... Although in our study we did not use IPVAW offender typologies, those participants with higher scores in risk of future violence against non-partners could be classified as generally violent/ antisocial . Our results support the idea that risk assessment and management of those generally violent participants should be a key intervention target to improve BIP effectiveness (Arbach & Bobbio, 2018;Bowen, 2011;Cantos, Kosson, Goldstein, & O'Leary, 2019;López-Ossorio et al., 2018;Snead, Bennett, & Babcock, 2018). ...
Strategies to reduce intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) can be targeted at different levels. Batterer intervention programs (BIPs) are among the main treatment approaches for IPVAW offenders. The most common outcome used in the evaluation of BIP effectiveness is recidivism. Efforts to increase BIP effectiveness in reducing recidivism should focus on key predictive variables of this outcome. The aim of this study was to identify key predictors of official recidivism from a large set of variables drawn from a sample of IPVAW offenders court-mandated to a community-based BIP (N = 393), with a follow-up period of between 0 and 69 months. To this end, a survival analysis was conducted using four sets of variables: individual-level, relational- and contextual-level, violence-related, and intervention process-related variables. To include all variables in the analysis simultaneously, a Cox regression model was estimated with the adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (ALASSO). From a pool of eighty-nine variables, six were selected as key predictors of recidivism: dropout, risk of future violence against non-partners, family violence exposure, immigrant status, accumulation of stressful life events, and trait anger. The area under the receiving operator characteristic (ROC) curve was .808, indicating good prediction of the model. The key predictors of recidivism found in this study should be considered by professionals and researchers in the BIP field to improve their evaluation and intervention strategies. Practical implications for future research are also discussed.
Das Versorgungssystem für Menschen mit alkoholbezogenen Störungen in Deutschland umfasst eine Vielzahl von differenzierten Angeboten, ist jedoch aufgrund historisch gewachsener Strukturen und den spezifischen Zuständigkeiten der Leistungsträger stark fragmentiert. Zu unterscheiden sind die speziell für Menschen mit Störungen durch Alkoholkonsum (SdA) ausgerichteten Systeme der Suchtberatung, der suchtmedizinischen, suchtpsychiatrischen, suchttherapeutischen, und suchtrehabilitativen Behandlung einerseits, von Hilfesystemen mit anderen Schwerpunkten in der Aufgabenstellung, Kompetenz und Verantwortung, wie z. B. medizinische Versorgung (durch niedergelassene ÄrztInnen und Allgemeinkrankenhäuser), die ambulante psychotherapeutische Versorgung, die Altenhilfe, die Jugendhilfe, die Wohnungslosenhilfe, das System der Arbeitslosenhilfen (z. B. Jobcenter, Agenturen für Arbeit) usw. andererseits (DHS, 2019).
Intimate partner aggression (IPA) is a widespread social health problem that impacts not only the couple but the family unit as a whole. The vast majority of interventions have focused on male-to-female violence that consists of dominance and controlling tactics and neglect the therapeutic needs of the couple and their children. Thus, the first goal of this review to discuss the situations in which couples therapy is ethical as well as review the small, but growing literature on the efficacy of couples intervention. The second goal is to review the impact that exposure to IPA has on childhood development and examine the existing intervention and prevention programs for child witnesses. Based on our review, the research suggests that couples interventions are ethical for couples experiencing low-level physical aggression and that these treatments are equally effective as standard treatments for IPA in reducing violence and recidivism. Our review also concludes that individuals who witness IPA between their parents during childhood often exhibit interpersonal and intrapersonal difficulties in adulthood related to this exposure. The existing intervention and prevention programs for child witnesses appear promising.
Previous typologies of male batterers, including typologies developed by means of rational–deductive and empirical–inductive strategies, are reviewed. On the basis of this review, 3 descriptive dimensions (i.e., severity of marital violence, generality of the violence [toward the wife or toward others], and psychopathology/personality disorders) that consistently have been found to distinguish among subtypes of batterers are identified. These dimensions are used to propose a typology consisting of 3 subtypes of batterers (i.e., family only, dysphoric/borderline, and generally violent/antisocial). A developmental model of marital violence is then presented, and the previous literature is reviewed to examine how each batterer subtype might differ on variables of theoretical interest. Finally, some of the methodological limitations of previous typology research are reviewed, and suggestions for future work are offered.
The “Evaluation of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) curriculum for domestic violence offenders” illustrates the methodological issues associated with interpreting program evaluations and applying them to policy. Despite the “preliminary” evidence, the authors promote ACTV as more effective in terms of recidivism compared with DU/CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) programming. A more critical consideration of the research, however, exposes further limitations that counter the initial speculations and interpretations of the study outcome. Consequently, the effectiveness of ACTV over the DU/CBT option remains in question and raises the need for a broader discourse on program effectiveness.
Objective: There are currently few empirically supported batterer intervention programs (BIPs) for perpetrators of domestic violence. In practice, a combination of psychoeducation on power and control dynamics (i.e., Duluth Model) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques are widely used in BIPs but produce limited effects on violent recidivism. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based program (Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior [ACTV]; Lawrence, Langer Zarling, & Orengo-Aguayo, 2014) on reducing new criminal charges 1 year postintervention compared with the traditional treatment (a combination of the Duluth Model and CBT). Method: Administrative data were collected from a sample of 3,474 men who were arrested for domestic assault and court-mandated to a BIP (nonrandomized either ACTV or Duluth/CBT) from 2011 to 2013. Incidence and frequency of new criminal charges were examined during the intervention time period as well as 12 months postintervention time period, and analyses were completed for the entire intent-to-treat sample as well as treatment completers only. Results: Compared with Duluth/CBT participants, significantly fewer ACTV participants acquired any new charges, domestic assault charges, or violent charges. ACTV participants also acquired significantly fewer charges on average in the 1 year after treatment than Duluth/CBT participants. This pattern of results emerged for both treatment completers and noncompleters. ACTV had a significantly higher dropout rate. Conclusions: This investigation provides preliminary evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of an ACT-based group for men who have been arrested for domestic assault.
Since the mid-1970s, the field of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) has debated over gender differences in the perpetration of physical partner violence. However, this classical controversy has ignored transgender people since their gender does not seemingly fit the binary categories (male and female) first used to conceptualize IPV. Furthermore, sustained attention on this ceaseless argument has contributed to transgender people remaining invisible to the field of IPV. In this article, we redefine IPV to extend beyond the gender binary and invite the field to shift its focus to transgender people. Research suggests that as many as one in two transgender individuals are victims of IPV, but that multiple barriers prevent this group from acquiring protection that is afforded to others. Therefore, we propose that researchers direct their attention to this topic, and thus, inform police officers, victim advocates, and medical professionals who work directly to combat IPV for all.
Objective:
We evaluated the efficacy of Strength at Home Couples, a cognitive-behavioral trauma-informed intimate partner violence (IPV) preventive intervention for married or partnered military service members or veterans. No prior randomized controlled trial had supported the efficacy of such an intervention in this population.
Method:
Participants included 69 male service members or veterans and their female partners. Recruitment was conducted from February 2010 through August 2013, and participation occurred within 2 Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals. All couples completed an initial assessment including diagnostic interviews and measures of physical and psychological IPV and were randomized by cohort to a supportive prevention couples group or Strength at Home Couples. All couples were reassessed at postintervention and at 6 and 12 months follow-ups.
Results:
Both service members or veterans and their female partners engaged in fewer acts of reported physical and psychological IPV in the Strength at Home Couples condition relative to supportive prevention, and relative risk of physical violence was lower for both members of the dyad in Strength at Home Couples at follow-up assessments (male service member or veteran IPV relative risk [RR] = .53; female IPV RR = .43). Those in Strength at Home Couples evidenced significantly greater program completion than did those in supportive prevention (RR = 1.73; 95% confidence interval [1.00, 2.99]). Exploratory analyses did not find differences between groups on relationship satisfaction.
Conclusion:
Results provide support for the efficacy of Strength at Home Couples in preventing physical IPV and reducing psychological IPV. These results have important implications for preventing violence and associated physical and mental health problems.
Clinical trials registration:
Trial Registry Name: Strength at Home Couples Program; Registration Number: NCT00827879; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00827879?term=strength+at+home&rank=1 (PsycINFO Database Record
Intimate partner violence is a serious public health problem accompanied by substantial morbidity and mortality. Despite its documented impact on health, there is no widely recognized treatment of choice. Some studies indicate that couples suffering from situational violence may benefit from couples therapy, but professionals are cautious to risk the possibility of violent retaliation between partners. After a comprehensive literature search of 1,733 citations, this systematic review and meta-analysis compiles the results of six studies to investigate the effectiveness of couples therapy as a treatment for violence. Preliminary data suggest that couples therapy is a viable treatment in select situations.
Objective:
We examined whether a cumulative genetic score (CGS) containing MAOA and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms moderated drinking and intimate partner violence (IPV) treatment outcomes in hazardous drinking men receiving batterer intervention or batterer intervention plus a brief alcohol intervention.
Method:
We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 97 hazardous drinking men who had a relationship partner and were in batterer intervention programs. Participants were randomized to receive 40 hr of standard batterer program (SBP) or the SBP plus a 90-min alcohol intervention (SBP + BAI). Data were collected at baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up, with follow-up rates of 99.0%, 97.9%, and 93.8%, respectively. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva. Substance use was measured with the timeline followback interview; IPV was assessed with the Revised Conflict Tactics scales. The primary outcomes were drinks per drinking day (DDD), percentage of days abstinent from alcohol (PDA), frequency of physical IPV, and injuries to partners.
Results:
Consistent with hypotheses, analyses demonstrated significant treatment condition by CGS interactions for PDA, physical violence, and injuries, but not for DDD. At high levels of the CGS, men in SBP + BAI had greater PDA (B = .16, 95% CI [.04, .27], p = .01), less physical violence perpetration (B = -1.21, 95% CI [-2.21, -.21], p = .02), and fewer injuries to partners (B = -2.37, 95% CI [-3.19, -.82], p = .00) than men in SBP. No differences between the groups in PDA, physical violence, or injuries were observed at low levels of the CGS.
Conclusions:
Findings demonstrate the potential importance of MAOA and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms in the treatment of IPV and drinking in men in batterer intervention programs. (PsycINFO Database Record
In this review, we provide a descriptive and detailed review of intervention programs for intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators and survivor-victims. Given the extensive personal, interpersonal, and societal costs associated with IPV, it is essential that services being offered
by the criminal justice, mental health, and medical communities have requisite empirical support to justify their implementation. The review involved a detailed summary of all studies published since 1990 using randomized or quasi-experimental designs that compared an active intervention program
to a relevant comparison condition. These studies included 20 studies investigating the effectiveness of “traditional” forms of batterer intervention programs (BIPs) aimed at perpetrators of IPV, 10 studies that investigated the effectiveness of alternative formats of BIPs, 16
studies of brief intervention programs for IPV victim-survivors, and 15 studies of more extended intervention programs for IPV victim-survivors. Interventions for perpetrators showed equivocal results regarding their ability to lower the risk of IPV, and available studies had many methodological
flaws. More recent investigations of novel programs with alternative content have shown promising results. Among interventions for victim-survivors of IPV, a range of therapeutic approaches have been shown to produce enhancements in emotional functioning, with the strongest support for cognitive-behavioral
therapy (CBT) approaches in reducing negative symptomatic effects of IPV. Supportive advocacy in community settings has been shown to reduce the frequency of revictimization relative to no-treatment controls, although rates of revictimization remain alarmingly high in these studies. Brief
interventions for victim-survivors have had more complex and less consistently positive effects. Several studies have found significant increases in safety behaviors, but enhanced use of community resources is often not found. It remains unclear whether brief safety interventions produce longer
term reduction in IPV revictimization. Discussion summarizes the general state of knowledge on interventions for IPV perpetrators and victim-survivors and important areas for future research.
Objective:
The objective of the current research was to test the efficacy of a group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for partner aggression, compared with a support and discussion control group, in a clinical sample of adults.
Method:
One hundred one participants (mean age = 31; 68% female; 18% minority) who endorsed recently engaging in at least 2 acts of partner aggression were randomly assigned to receive ACT or a support-and-discussion control condition. Both interventions consisted of 12 weekly 2-hr sessions. Assessments at pretreatment, during treatment, posttreatment, and 3 and 6 months after treatment measured psychological aggression (Multidimensional Measure Emotional Abuse Scale [MMEA]), physical aggression (Conflict Tactics Scales [CTS-2]), experiential avoidance (Avoidance and Action Questionnaire [AAQ]), and emotion dysregulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale [DERS]).
Results:
RESULTS of growth curve modeling analyses demonstrated that participants in the ACT group had significantly greater declines in psychological and physical aggression from pre- to posttreatment and from pretreatment to follow-up and that 6-month treatment outcomes were partially mediated by levels of experiential avoidance and emotion dysregulation at posttreatment.
Conclusions:
The results of this first trial of ACT for aggressive behavior indicate that the ACT group significantly reduced both physical and psychological aggression and that these changes were significantly greater than those of the control group, suggesting that an ACT approach to aggression may serve as an efficacious treatment for aggression.
Problem/condition:
Sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are public health problems known to have a negative impact on millions of persons in the United States each year, not only by way of immediate harm but also through negative long-term health impacts. Before implementation of the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) in 2010, the most recent detailed national data on the public health burden from these forms of violence were obtained from the National Violence against Women Survey conducted during 1995-1996. This report examines sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence victimization using data from 2011. The report describes the overall prevalence of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence victimization; racial/ethnic variation in prevalence; how types of perpetrators vary by violence type; and the age at which victimization typically begins. For intimate partner violence, the report also examines a range of negative impacts experienced as a result of victimization, including the need for services.
Reporting period:
January-December, 2011.
Description of system:
NISVS is a national random-digit-dial telephone survey of the noninstitutionalized English- and Spanish-speaking U.S. population aged ≥18 years. NISVS gathers data on experiences of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence among adult women and men in the United States by using a dual-frame sampling strategy that includes both landline and cellular telephones. The survey was conducted in 50 states and the District of Columbia; in 2011, the second year of NISVS data collection, 12,727 interviews were completed, and 1,428 interviews were partially completed.
Results:
In the United States, an estimated 19.3% of women and 1.7% of men have been raped during their lifetimes; an estimated 1.6% of women reported that they were raped in the 12 months preceding the survey. The case count for men reporting rape in the preceding 12 months was too small to produce a statistically reliable prevalence estimate. An estimated 43.9% of women and 23.4% of men experienced other forms of sexual violence during their lifetimes, including being made to penetrate, sexual coercion, unwanted sexual contact, and noncontact unwanted sexual experiences. The percentages of women and men who experienced these other forms of sexual violence victimization in the 12 months preceding the survey were an estimated 5.5% and 5.1%, respectively. An estimated 15.2% of women and 5.7% of men have been a victim of stalking during their lifetimes. An estimated 4.2% of women and 2.1% of men were stalked in the 12 months preceding the survey. With respect to sexual violence and stalking, female victims reported predominantly male perpetrators, whereas for male victims, the sex of the perpetrator varied by the specific form of violence examined. Male rape victims predominantly had male perpetrators, but other forms of sexual violence experienced by men were either perpetrated predominantly by women (i.e., being made to penetrate and sexual coercion) or split more evenly among male and female perpetrators (i.e., unwanted sexual contact and noncontact unwanted sexual experiences). In addition, male stalking victims also reported a more even mix of males and females who had perpetrated stalking against them. The lifetime and 12-month prevalences of rape by an intimate partner for women were an estimated 8.8% and 0.8%, respectively; an estimated 0.5% of men experienced rape by an intimate partner during their lifetimes, although the case count for men reporting rape by an intimate partner in the preceding 12 months was too small to produce a statistically reliable prevalence estimate. An estimated 15.8% of women and 9.5% of men experienced other forms of sexual violence by an intimate partner during their lifetimes, whereas an estimated 2.1% of both men and women experienced these forms of sexual violence by a partner in the 12 months before taking the survey. Severe physical violence by an intimate partner (including acts such as being hit with something hard, being kicked or beaten, or being burned on purpose) was experienced by an estimated 22.3% of women and 14.0% of men during their lifetimes and by an estimated 2.3% of women and 2.1% of men in the 12 months before taking the survey. Finally, the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of stalking by an intimate partner for women was an estimated 9.2% and 2.4%, respectively, while the lifetime and 12-month prevalence for men was an estimated 2.5% and 0.8%, respectively. Many victims of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence were first victimized at a young age. Among female victims of completed rape, an estimated 78.7% were first raped before age 25 years (40.4% before age 18 years). Among male victims who were made to penetrate a perpetrator, an estimated 71.0% were victimized before age 25 years (21.3% before age 18 years). In addition, an estimated 53.8% of female stalking victims and 47.7% of male stalking victims were first stalked before age 25 years (16.3% of female victims and 20.5% of male victims before age 18 years). Finally, among victims of contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner, an estimated 71.1% of women and 58.2% of men first experienced these or other forms of intimate partner violence before age 25 years (23.2% of female victims and 14.1% of male victims before age 18 years).
Interpretation:
A substantial proportion of U.S. female and male adults have experienced some form of sexual violence, stalking, or intimate partner violence at least once during their lifetimes, and the sex of perpetrators varied by the specific form of violence examined. In addition, a substantial number of U.S. adults experienced sexual violence, stalking, or intimate partner violence during the 12 months preceding the 2011 survey. Consistent with previous studies, the overall pattern of results suggest that women, in particular, are heavily impacted over their lifetime. However, the results also indicate that many men experience sexual violence, stalking, and, in particular, physical violence by an intimate partner. Because of the broad range of short- and long-term consequences known to be associated with these forms of violence, the public health burden of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence is substantial. RESULTS suggest that these forms of violence frequently are experienced at an early age because a majority of victims experienced their first victimization before age 25 years, with a substantial proportion experiencing victimization in childhood or adolescence.
Public health action:
Because a substantial proportion of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence is experienced at a young age, primary prevention of these forms of violence must begin early. Prevention efforts should take into consideration that female sexual violence and stalking victimization is perpetrated predominately by men and that a substantial proportion of male sexual violence and stalking victimization (including rape, unwanted sexual contact, noncontact unwanted sexual experiences, and stalking) also is perpetrated by men. CDC seeks to prevent these forms of violence with strategies that address known risk factors for perpetration and by changing social norms and behaviors by using bystander and other prevention strategies. In addition, primary prevention of intimate partner violence is focused on the promotion of healthy relationship behaviors and other protective factors, with the goal of helping adolescents develop these positive behaviors before their first relationships. The early promotion of healthy relationships while behaviors are still relatively modifiable makes it more likely that young persons can avoid violence in their relationships.
Objective: The authors examine the effects of batterer intervention program (BIP) completion on domestic violence re-arrest in an urban system of 30 BIPs with a common set of state standards, common program completion criteria, and centralized criminal justice supervision. Method: 899 men arrested for domestic violence were assessed and completed 1 of 30 BIPs. At 2.4 years after intake, the authors reviewed arrest records and modeled domestic violence re-arrest using instrumental variable estimation and logistic regression. Results: There were 14.3% of completers and 34.7% of noncompleters re-arrested for domestic violence. Completing a BIP reduces the odds of re-arrest 39% to 61%. Conclusions: This study supports efforts to engage and retain men in gender-specific BIPs, as well as the value of examining larger systems of BIPs.
In this brief report, we present information on the Strength at Home intervention to treat male active duty or military veteran perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) as well as preliminary pilot study findings. Strength at Home is a 12-session cognitive-behavioral group intervention developed by the authors that is based on a social information processing model of IPV perpetration. Six men referred to two intervention groups and five collateral female partners participated in this pilot study. Findings indicated large reductions for most indices of physical and psychological IPV from pre-treatment to 6-month follow-up. These initial results are promising though the small sample size and other study limitations preclude our ability to draw firm conclusions.
Over the past 2 decades, a variety of studies on domestic violence has confirmed that abuse is widespread. This increased attention to violence in intimate relationships has been focused on heterosexual couples, despite the assertion that 4-10% of the population is homosexual. Violence among lesbian couples has largely been ignored by family violence researchers, but clinical practitioners who are sought out by the battered and/or the batterers for therapy are well aware of the extent and nature of the battering that takes place in these relationships, and that battering is not limited to heterosexual relationships. This exploratory study takes a step toward an understanding of lesbian violence by examining the incidence, forms, and correlates of violence in lesbian relationships. Based upon the responses of 284 lesbians to a questionnaire, it was found that lesbian violence is not a rare phenomenon. This finding reflects the need for further research into this social problem in all intimate relationships, including homosexual relationships.
This study investigated the effectiveness of a popular batterers's intervention program in reducing repeated violence among men who were convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. A classical experimental design randomly assigned all 404 male defendants in Broward County Courthouse into an experimental (one-year probation and court-mandated counseling) or control (one-year probation only) conditions. The study followed these men for 12 months, collecting information from offenders' self-reports, victims' reports, and official measures of rearrests. No significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups in their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding domestic violence; both groups were equally likely to engage in both minor and severe partner abuse. In addition, no significant differences were found between the two groups in their rates of rearrest. Further analyses indicated that stake-in-conformity variables (employment and age) predicted both attendance at treatment and reoffending.
Intimate Partner Violence Surveillance: Uniform Definitions and Recommended Data Elements, Version 1.0 is a set of recommendations designed to promote consistency in
the use of terminology and data collection related to intimate partner violence. This document was developed through an extensive consultation process. It is published by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This article documents the economic costs of four geographically and programmatically diverse batterer treatment programs and illustrates the components and procedures of a program cost analysis. Such analyses provide an essential component of cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) and can assist policy makers in understanding how the structure and scope of batterer programs influence the costs. Cost per batterer session at the four sites was similar (32) despite differences in organizational structure and scope of services provided even when cost figures are adjusted (22) for other services offered by the sites. The estimated cost of program completion in 1995 ranged from 864. Completion costs that take account of other services that these sites provide range from 622, with three of the sites reporting completion costs less than $400. Much of the cost of these programs is borne by batterers.
This article presents rates of violence against dating partners by students at 31 universities in 16 countries (5 in Asia and the Middle East, 2 in Australia-New Zealand, 6 in Europe, 2 in Latin America, 16 in North America). Assault and injury rates are presented for males and females at each of the 31 universities. At the median university, 29% of the students physically assaulted a dating partner in the previous 12 months (range = 17% to 45%) and 7% had physically injured a partner (range = 2% to 20%). The results reveal both important differences and similarities between universities. Perhaps the most important similarity is the high rate of assault perpetrated by both male and female students in all the countries.
Researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers have highlighted the need to evaluate couple and relationship education (CRE) programs designed to strengthen intimate relationships and meet the needs of populations that are most in need, including low-income distressed couples. This study evaluated a psychoeducational intervention designed to bolster relationships and reduce conflict in low-income, situationally violent couples. One hundred fifteen couples were randomly assigned to a treatment or no-treatment control group. Couples reported relationship satisfaction, use of healthy relationship skills, conflict, and relationship status/dissolution at two time points (pre- and post-intervention). Results show that the treatment group benefited in several ways: increased relationship satisfaction, greater use of healthy relationship skills, and reduced conflict.
Men who batter (
N = 387) were followed over 2 years using a quasi-experimental design. "Batterers" were court-mandated into domestic violence (DV) group treatment, DV treatment plus chemical dependency treatment, or were incarcerated in lieu of treatment. Official criminal records of treatment completers, treatment noncompleters, and incarcerated batters were compared 2 years after sentencing. Batterers who completed DV group treatment had fewer DV reoffenses at follow-up, and incarcerated batterers had a greater number, as compared with DV treatment noncompleters, after controlling for criminal record and demographics. The number of DV sessions attended was negatively correlated with recidivism. This study provides suggestive evidence that the coordinated domestic violence intervention may have a statistically significant but small impact on reducing domestic violence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a common problem and men arrested for IPV are typically court‐mandated to attend men‐only groups. These interventions have been found to have only small effect sizes for stopping violence and do not address the abuse perpetrated by women. In the United States, many states mandate against the use of any interventions other than Duluth model men‐only groups. However, there is preliminary theoretical and empirical support for alternative interventions, including new wave and conjoint interventions. These interventions place greater emphasis on treatment‐matching principles and incorporate strategies to address problems such as emotion regulation difficulties, impulsivity, and communication deficits. Given the limited effectiveness of existing interventions and the initial support for alternative interventions, additional experimental studies are needed. However, political barriers continue to hinder the implementation of novel investigations of important treatment targets that may have a greater impact on reducing IPV.
This article presents rates of violence against dating partners by students at 31 universities in 16 countries (5 in Asia and the Middle East, 2 in Australia-New Zealand, 6 in Europe, 2 in Latin America, 16 in North America). Assault and injury rates are presented for males and females at each of the 31 universities. At the median university, 29% of the students physically assaulted a dating partner in the previous 12 months (range = 17% to 45%) and 7% had physically injured a partner (range = 2% to 20%). The results reveal both important differences and similarities between universities. Perhaps the most important similarity is the high rate of assault perpetrated by both male and female students in all the countries.
This chapter examines the policy and practice of interventions with male perpetrators of domestic violence in light of the widely accepted principles of evidence-based practice. Thus far, these policies and practices have enjoyed immunity from the external, empirical accountability available through implementing the findings from evaluations research and
other empirical practice analyses. This immunity is supported by a policy framework where, for example, the state certifying agencies may presumptively forbid methods of intervention, with no obligation to empirically assess their efficacy or safety, that contradict the approved model. Based on the review of findings from both explanatory research and interventions research, evidence-based recommendations for policy and program change are proposed.
Gondolf, Bennett, and Mankowski raise many concerns about the ACTV batterers’ intervention program (BIP) and the Zarling, Bannon, and Berta evaluation of ACTV, including (a) the researchers’ and the Iowa Department of Corrections’ promotion of ACTV; (b) research design, outcome measure, and results; (c) contextual issues; and (d) the effectiveness debate surrounding BIPs. The current commentary responds to each of these concerns, as well as identifies errors and corrects misinformation in their article. It is hoped that this response will also clarify the broader context of ACTV development and research and contribute to the ongoing discussion about BIPs.
The current study evaluates a therapy for substance-dependent perpetrators of partner violence. Sixty-three males arrested for partner violence within the past year were randomized to a cognitive behavioral substance abuse-domestic violence (SADV; n = 29) or a drug counseling (DC; n = 34) condition. Seventy percent of offenders completed eight core sessions with no differences between SADV and DC conditions in the amount of substance or aggression at pretreatment. SADV participants had fewer cocaine-positive toxicology screens and breathalyzer results during treatment, were less likely to engage in aggressive behavior proximal to a drinking episode, and reported fewer episodes of violence than DC participants at posttreatment follow-up. SADV shows promise in decreasing addiction and partner violence among substance-dependent male offenders.
This article considers the risks and benefits of couples' interventions for intimate partner violence (IPV). Because current batterers' treatment programs have been shown to be largely ineffective in stopping recidivism, there is clearly a need to experiment with novel approaches to establish empirically supported treatments for IPV. Previous studies testing the efficacy of conjoint therapy for couples experiencing situational violence have demonstrated promising results. However, most states mandate prohibiting testing these couples' interventions in court-mandated samples. In this article, we describe a randomized clinical trial of the Creating Healthy Relationships Program (Cleary Bradley, Friend, & Gottman, 2011) for situationally violent couples in a court-mandated sample and the difficulties in conducting such an experiment within an established coordinated community response.
Objective:
We evaluated the efficacy of the Strength at Home Men's Program (SAH-M), a trauma-informed group intervention based on a social information processing model to end intimate partner violence (IPV) use in a sample of veterans/service members and their partners. To date, no randomized controlled trial has supported the efficacy of an IPV intervention in this population.
Method:
Participants included 135 male veterans/service members and 111 female partners. Recruitment was conducted from February 2010 through August 2013, and participation occurred within 2 Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals. Male participants completed an initial assessment that included diagnostic interviews and measures of physical and psychological IPV using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales and were randomly assigned to an enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) condition or SAH-M. Those randomized to SAH-M were enrolled in this 12-week group immediately after baseline. Those randomized to ETAU received clinical referrals and resources for mental health treatment and IPV services. All male participants were reassessed 3 and 6 months after baseline. Female partners completed phone assessments at the same intervals that were focused both on IPV and on the provision of safety information and clinical referrals.
Results:
Primary analyses using hierarchical linear modeling indicated significant time-by-condition effects such that SAH-M participants compared with ETAU participants evidenced greater reductions in physical and psychological IPV use (β = -0.135 [SE = 0.061], P = .029; β = -0.304 [SE = 0.135], P = .026; respectively). Additional analyses of a measure that disaggregated forms of psychological IPV showed that SAH-M, relative to ETAU, reduced controlling behaviors involving isolation and monitoring of the partner (β = -0.072 [SE = 0.027], P = .010).
Conclusions:
Results provide support for the efficacy of SAH-M in reducing and ending IPV in male veterans and service members.
Trial registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01435512.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem in the United States that may be particularly elevated among military populations exposed to trauma who evidence symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As this chapter illustrates, evidence indicates that the development of posttraumatic psychopathology, and particularly PTSD, is strongly associated with the development of violence and abusive behavior in relationships. In addition to the review of research on the association between PTSD and IPV in military populations, in this chapter we discuss information processing models explaining the link between PTSD and IPV and potential moderators of this association, as well as strategies to prevent and treat IPV in this population. Recommendations for future work in this area of investigation and program development are also provided.
An ACT Approach Chapter 1. What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy? Steven C. Hayes, Kirk D. Strosahl, Kara Bunting, Michael Twohig, and Kelly G. Wilson Chapter 2. An ACT Primer: Core Therapy Processes, Intervention Strategies, and Therapist Competencies. Kirk D. Strosahl, Steven C. Hayes, Kelly G. Wilson and Elizabeth V. Gifford Chapter 3. ACT Case Formulation. Steven C. Hayes, Kirk D. Strosahl, Jayson Luoma, Alethea A. Smith, and Kelly G. Wilson ACT with Behavior Problems Chapter 4. ACT with Affective Disorders. Robert D. Zettle Chapter 5. ACT with Anxiety Disorders. Susan M. Orsillo, Lizabeth Roemer, Jennifer Block-Lerner, Chad LeJeune, and James D. Herbert Chapter 6. ACT with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Alethea A. Smith and Victoria M. Follette Chapter 7. ACT for Substance Abuse and Dependence. Kelly G. Wilson and Michelle R. Byrd Chapter 8. ACT with the Seriously Mentally Ill. Patricia Bach Chapter 9. ACT with the Multi-Problem Patient. Kirk D. Strosahl ACT with Special Populations, Settings, and Methods Chapter 10. ACT with Children, Adolescents, and their Parents. Amy R. Murrell, Lisa W. Coyne, & Kelly G. Wilson Chapter 11. ACT for Stress. Frank Bond. Chapter 12. ACT in Medical Settings. Patricia Robinson, Jennifer Gregg, JoAnne Dahl, & Tobias Lundgren Chapter 13. ACT with Chronic Pain Patients. Patricia Robinson, Rikard K. Wicksell, Gunnar L. Olsson Chapter 14. ACT in Group Format. Robyn D. Walser and Jacqueline Pistorello
This work evaluated a psycho-educational, group-based, conjoint treatment for couples experiencing intimate partner violence characterized by mutual low-level physical violence and psychological aggression. The ability of the treatment program to reduce violence between partners was evaluated via a multi-method, multi-informant, multiple time point experimental design. Procedures were completed at four times: baseline/pre-treatment, post-treatment, ~six months post-treatment, and ~12 months post-treatment. At each time point, couples individually self-reported on violence in the relationship and participated in a conflict discussion during which behaviors that show a propensity toward violence (i.e., contempt, belligerence, domineering, anger, and defensiveness) were observed. Results show that the program had no direct impact on self-reported violence. However, the program did impact observed behavior; males in the treatment group showed a significant decline in behaviors that show a propensity toward violence. Although the model for females was not significant, the pattern for females was comparable to that of males.
The study investigated differences in demographic and psychological variables between treatment completers and dropouts among abusive men entering a court-mandated treatment program. An additional goal was to create a predictive model that would correctly identify men at greatest risk of dropping out of the program. The authors used a secondary analysis of 137 men randomly selected from a larger pool of 784 men. Analysis indicated that very few of the demographic and psychological variables differentiated between treatment completers and dropouts. However, a logistic regression model was developed that correctly predicted treatment completion for 75 percent of the sample. Implications of the findings for improving retention rates among men attending court-mandated batterer treatment programs are discussed.
Veteran and active duty populations evidence higher rates of intimate partner aggression (IPA) than comparable civilian groups, perhaps due in part to their unique service-related experiences. IPA offender treatment programs that take military background into consideration are not widely available, and it is unclear to what extent there is a perceived need for them among clinicians who serve service members and Veterans. Strength at Home (SAH) is a promising 12-session cognitive-behavioral group intervention designed to address IPA perpetration in military populations. While clinical support for SAH is emerging, the extent to which service members and Veterans find it appropriate and helpful is not yet known. Goals of the current study were threefold: (a) assess the perceived need for a military-specific IPA program among Veterans Administration and community domestic violence (DV) program providers; (b) conduct a pilot study to examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of SAH in a sample drawn from a diverse, multicultural community; and (c) conduct focus groups to obtain participant feedback on the SAH protocol. Findings from the provider survey suggested a need for specialty programs to treat military personnel who perpetrate IPA of mildtomoderate severity. Results of the SAH pilot study (n = 6) indicated decreased psychological aggression and increased anger control from baseline to 6-month follow-up. Focus group feedback indicated participants found the program to be helpful and appropriate across a wide variety of ethno-cultural variables. As more service members and Veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan war era reintegrate into our communities, it will become increasingly important for providers in both private and public sectors of care to understand the unique needs of this treatment population, and to have access to effective IPA treatment programs.
A critical examination is needed of the often mandated one-size-fits-all Duluth intervention for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). The underlying philosophy of Duluth-based interventions is evaluated as well as the treatment outcome literature for this intervention.
There is very little evidence to justify the current legal system practice of mandating all perpetrators to psychological interventions addressing power and control issues. A literature review of scientific findings with IPV perpetrators and the issues that need to be taken into consideration
in developing alternative evidence-based interventions are presented. The evidence seems to favor heterogeneity and not homogeneity with respect to both type of perpetrator and type of violence. Assessment and treatment suggestions are made to address this evidence-based heterogeneity and
a call is made to those responsible to stop perpetuating the practice of mandating all perpetrators to attend a single intervention for which there is very limited evidence of effectiveness. About two-thirds of male perpetrators of IPV cease being physically aggressive against their partners
if they are assigned to a probation officer, but there is minimal evidence that the addition of a Duluth-based intervention makes perpetration less likely.
This study contributed to the data about same-sex relationship violence with a large sample (n = 499) of ethnically diverse gay men, lesbians, and bisexual and transgendered people. Physical violence was reported in 9% of current and 32% of past relationships. One percent of participants had experienced forced sex in their current relationship. Nine percent reported this experience in past relationships. Emotional abuse was reported by 83% of the participants. Women reported higher frequencies than men for physical abuse, coercion, shame, threats, and use of children for control. Across types of abuse, ethnic differences emerged regarding physical abuse and coercion. Differences across age groups were found regarding coercion, shame, and use of children as tools. Higher income was correlated with increased threats, stalking, sexual, physical, and financial abuses. Preliminary patterns of same-sex relationship abuses were examined for bisexual and transgendered people.
Over the past two decades, a growing number of courts have come to rely on batterer programs as their mandate of choice, especially when the legal issues in a case preclude the imposition of jail. Three of four previous randomized trials produced largely negative results. The present study seeks to provide greater clarification. The study randomly assigned misdemeanor domestic violence offenders in the Bronx, New York to either a batterer program or not; and to either monthly or graduated judicial monitoring, with the latter involving reduced court appearances in response to compliance and increased appearances in response to noncompliance. The study found that neither the batterer program nor either of the two monitoring schedules produced a reduction in official re-arrest rates for any offense, for domestic violence, or for domestic violence with the same victim. Similarly, 1-year victim interviews indicated that neither program assignment nor monitoring schedule significantly affected victim reports of re-abuse, either in general or with regard to specific forms of re-abuse: physical, threats, or other. While victims expressed greater satisfaction with the sentence when a batterer program was assigned, interpretation of this last finding is difficult in the absence of an effect on re-abuse.
This article reports the results on marriages of a randomized clinical trial for couples experiencing the transition to parenthood. In addition to a control group, there was 1 intervention, a psycho-communicative-educational 2-day couples' workshop. The outcome measures were marital quality, postpartum depression, and expressed hos- tile affect (assessed using an observational coding of marital conflict discussions vid- eotaped in couples' homes). Data were collected at 3 time points: before the interven- tion in the last trimester of pregnancy, when the baby was 3 months old, and when the baby was 1 year old. Results showed that, in general, the preventive intervention us- ing a psycho-communicative- educational format was effective compared to a con- trol group for wife and husband marital quality, for wife and husband postpartum de- pression, and for observed wife and husband hostile affect scored from videotapes of marital conflict.
Aims:
The efficacy of batterer intervention programs to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV) is questionable, with individuals with alcohol problems particularly unlikely to benefit. We examined whether adding adjunctive alcohol intervention to batterer intervention reduced the likelihood of substance use and violence relative to batterer intervention alone.
Design:
Randomized clinical trial.
Setting:
Batterer intervention programs in Rhode Island, USA.
Participants:
A total of 252 hazardous drinking men in batterer intervention programs. Participants were randomized to receive 40 hours of standard batterer program (SBP) or the SBP plus a 90-minute alcohol intervention (SBP + BAI). None withdrew due to adverse effects. Data were collected at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up, with follow-up rates of 95, 89 and 82%, respectively.
Measurements:
Substance use was measured with a well-validated calendar-assisted interview. Violence was measured with a validated questionnaire. Arrest records were obtained for all participants. The primary substance use outcome was drinks per drinking day (DPDD) and the primary violence outcome was frequency of any physical IPV.
Findings:
Relative to SBP alone, men receiving SBP + BAI reported consuming fewer DPDD at 3-month follow-up [B = -1.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.65, -0.04, P = 0.04] but not 6- or 12-month follow-up. In secondary analyses, men receiving SBP + BAI reported significantly greater abstinence at 3- (B = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.14, P = 0.002) and 6-month (B = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.11, P = 0.01) follow-up but not 12-month follow-up. There were no significant differences in physical IPV between men receiving SBP and men receiving SBP + BAI. In secondary analyses, men receiving SBP + BAI reported less severe physical aggression at 3-month (IRR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.65, P = 0.009) but not 6- or 12-month follow-up. Men receiving SBP + BAI reported less severe psychological aggression (B = -1.24, 95% CI: -2.47, -0.02, P = 0.04) and fewer injuries to partners at 3- and 6-month follow-up (IRR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.92, P = 0.03), with differences fading by 12 months.
Conclusions:
Men with a history of intimate partner violence and hazardous drinking who received a batterer intervention plus an alcohol intervention showed improved alcohol and violence outcomes initially, but improvements faded by 12 months.
The purpose of this article is to describe the rationale and methods of couple-based interventions designed to treat and prevent intimate partner violence. Cognitive, affective, and behavioral individual and couple risk factors for violence are reviewed, as are therapeutic concerns regarding the use of conjoint treatment. Current conjoint treatments that are intended to reduce the incidence of abusive behavior among couples in which one or both partners have engaged in forms of psychological and/or mild to moderate physical aggression, do not engage in battering or severe violence, and desire to improve their relationships and stay together are described. We focus on our Couples Abuse Prevention Program (CAPP) that compares the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral couple therapy procedures and treatment as usual at a university-based couple and family therapy clinic. Outcomes from the CAPP project and evaluations of the other programs demonstrate the potential of judiciously applied conjoint interventions for aggressive behavior in couple relationships.
This article reviews and critiques the existing empirical literature examining interpersonal violence in lesbian and gay relationships. Studies assessing psychological, physical, and nonconsenting sexual forms of violence in intimate, same-sex relationships are reviewed, and their findings are integrated with what is known about partner abuse in heterosexual relationships. Nineteen studies are described and categorized according to the specific questions being addressed. This body of literature suggests that prevalence rates of same-sex partner abuse are high and its correlates show many similarities to those identified in incidents of heterosexual partner abuse. This article addresses the need for substantially increased efforts in this field of study in terms of well-controlled and theory-driven research design. In terms of other implications of this body of literature, the high prevalence rate of partner abuse among lesbian and gay populations needs to be recognized by providers of both physical and mental health services who potentially treat victims, so that they can more accurately identify appropriate interventions. More research is warranted, not only in the general area of lesbian and gay partner abuse, but in examining various treatment modalities and their effectiveness in helping perpetrators to end the cycle of violence.
Discusses physical aggression (PA) or abuse and treatment solutions. PA is extremely common in intimate relations in the US, yet most of these men and women do not see PA or abuse as a major problem in their relationships. PA has clear deleterious consequences when it is repeated across a several-year period or when it is severe. Such PA is associated with marital discord for both men and women. Although PA is commonly reported by both men and women, PA by men has a much more serious impact in terms of physical injury than PA by women. Therapy for couples in physically aggressive relationships is a structured treatment that focuses on (1) eliminating psychological and physical violence, (2) accepting responsibility for the escalation of angry interchanges, (3) recognizing and controlling self-angering thoughts, (4) communicating more effectively, (5) increasing caring and mutually pleasurable activities, and (5) understanding that each partner has the right to be treated with respect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This review of studies using US (or, in some cases, Canadian or English) samples makes it clear that various correlates of husband violence can be identified by comparing violent and nonviolent men. Violent husbands evidence more psychological distress, more tendencies to personality disorders, more attachment/dependency problems, more anger/hostility, and more alcohol problems than nonviolent men. They also evidence fewer social (e.g., communication) skills, particularly in marital interactions. The role of biological and physical factors has rarely been examined, but the available evidence suggests that at least some men who have head injuries are at risk for marital violence, and initial data suggests a possible role of testosterone. In addition, male batterers may hold attitudes (towards violence and women) and make attributions (regarding both wife behavior and their own violence) that increase their risk for using physical aggression. They may lack resources or feel powerless. Similarly, they may experience more individual stressors than other men, although the data on this variable are mixed. Such factors (e.g., feeling powerless or stressed) may interact with other variables to precipitate the use of violence. Maritally violent men are more likely than nonviolent husbands to have experienced violence in their family of origin. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This work evaluated a psycho-educational intervention designed to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV) in low-income situationally violent couples. The primary objective was to evaluate the mechanism through which violence was reduced. It was hypothesized that IPV would be reduced via use of therapeutic skills taught during the intervention (i.e., friendship, sex/romance/passion, shared meaning, and conflict management skills). One-hundred-fifteen couples were randomly assigned to a treatment or no-treatment control group. Couples self-reported attitudes reflecting healthy relationship skills and IPV at multiple time points (baseline, post-intervention, and long-term post-intervention). Results support the notion that violence was reduced via an increase in intervention-based skills. Findings suggest that IPV can be safely reduced in low-income situationally violent couples via conjoint treatment focused on building healthy relationship skills.
Based on previous typologies of domestically violent men (Holtzworth-Munroe & Stuart, 1994), women who were referred to a treatment agency for abusive behavior (N= 52) were categorized into two groups based on the breadth of their use of violence: Partner-Only (PO) and Generally Violent (GV). PO women were hypothesized to use reactive violence, for example, out of fear or in self-defense, whereas GV women were hypothesized to use instrumental violence, that is, in order to exert control. Self-defense was assessed in three different ways and convergent validity was demonstrated for these three new measures. GV women reported using instrumental violence more than PO women, in a variety of situations. GV women tended to report more traumatic symptoms than PO women, although they did not experience significantly more abuse. GV women were more likely to witness their mothers' physical aggression. Thus, we theorize that GV women have been socialized to believe that it is acceptable for women to use violence to resolve conflict. Trauma history and violent socialization should be addressed clinically.
Research indicates that two major forms of partner violence exist, intimate terrorism (IT) and situational couple violence (SCV). The current study (N= 389) used a subgroup of women who responded to the Chicago Women’s Health Risk Study to examine whether type of violence experienced is differentially related to formal (e.g., police, medical agencies, counseling) and informal (e.g., family, friends/neighbors) help seeking. IT victims were more likely to seek each type of formal help but were equally or less likely to seek informal help. Findings can inform both family violence research and the development and implementation of social service programs.
A growing body of empirical research has demonstrated that intimate partner violence is not a unitary phenomenon and that types of domestic violence can be differentiated with respect to partner dynamics, context, and consequences. Four patterns of violence are described: Coercive Controlling Violence, Violent Resistance, Situational Couple Violence, and Separation-Instigated Violence. The controversial matter of gender symmetry and asymmetry in intimate partner violence is discussed in terms of sampling differences and methodological limitations. Implications of differentiation among types of domestic violence include the need for improved screening measures and procedures in civil, family, and criminal court and the possibility of better decision making, appropriate sanctions, and more effective treatment programs tailored to the characteristics of different types of partner violence. In family court, reliable differentiation should provide the basis for determining what safeguards are necessary and what types of parenting plans are appropriate to ensure healthy outcomes for children and parent–child relationships.