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Does Batterers’ Treatment Work? A Meta-Analytic Review of Domestic Violence Treatment
Abstract
This meta-analytic review examines the findings of 22 studies evaluating treatment efficacy for domestically violent males. The outcome literature of controlled quasi-experimental and experimental studies was reviewed to test the relative impact of Duluth model, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and other types of treatment on subsequent recidivism of violence. Study design and type of treatment were tested as moderators. Treatment design tended to have a small influence on effect size. There were no differences in effect sizes in comparing Duluth model vs. CBT-type interventions. Overall, effects due to treatment were in the small range, meaning that the current interventions have a minimal impact on reducing recidivism beyond the effect of being arrested. Analogies to treatment for other populations are presented for comparison. Implications for policy decisions and future research are discussed.
... The emergence of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) platforms has further expanded investment accessibility, allowing retail investors to participate in financial markets without traditional intermediaries [47]. DeFi applications leverage smart contracts on blockchain networks, enabling peer-to-peer lending, automated yield farming, and decentralized asset trading [48]. ...
... Additionally, the opacity of deep learning-based financial models poses risks in automated trading environments. Blackbox AI models, where trading decisions are made without clear human interpretability, challenge financial regulators in ensuring accountability for market anomalies and automated trade failures [47]. The 2010 Flash Crash, where algorithmic trading triggered a market-wide collapse in minutes, highlights the potential systemic risks of high-speed AI-driven financial systems without proper oversight [48]. ...
... AI-enhanced risk simulations, combined with blockchain's decentralized trust mechanisms, could enhance cross-border financial security and improve regulatory compliance automation [46]. Future research should also explore the intersection of quantum computing and AI in financial analytics, assessing how advanced computational capabilities could optimize portfolio risk assessments, fraud detection, and financial stability forecasting in the coming decades [47]. As AI and blockchain technologies continue to reshape the financial landscape, interdisciplinary collaboration between economists, data scientists, and regulatory bodies will be key to fostering a more resilient, transparent, and efficient financial ecosystem [48]. ...
Financial models are essential tools in shaping investment strategies, managing risks, and informing economic policies. With the growing complexity of global markets, evaluating the effectiveness, risk exposure, and sustainability of various financial models is crucial for investors, regulators, and policymakers. Traditional methodologies, such as discounted cash flow (DCF), the capital asset pricing model (CAPM), and modern portfolio theory (MPT), have long been the foundation of financial decision-making. However, the emergence of machine learning algorithms, algorithmic trading systems, and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms has introduced innovative models that challenge conventional financial frameworks. This study conducts a comparative assessment of both established and modern financial models, focusing on their efficiency in resource allocation, resilience to market fluctuations, and long-term viability. It examines key factors such as predictive performance, volatility management, and responsiveness to economic disruptions. Additionally, the paper explores how AI-powered financial models enhance real-time risk evaluation and strategic planning while addressing concerns surrounding transparency, model reliability, and regulatory compliance. The inclusion of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in financial modeling further refines the analysis, emphasizing the broader economic and ethical implications of financial decision-making. Through an in-depth review of historical trends and industry case studies, this research highlights the strengths and limitations of various financial models. The findings underscore the need for a dynamic approach that integrates classical financial theories with technological advancements and sustainable investment principles to build more adaptive, responsible, and resilient financial systems.
... Common modes of criminal justice intervention for IPV are criminal sanctions and perpetrator rehabilitation programs. However, the evidence for both criminal sanctions (Maxwell & Garner, 2012) and perpetrator programs suggests significant scope for improvement, with perpetrator programs often producing small treatment effects (Babcock et al., 2004;Travers et al., 2021). Traditionally, perpetrator interventions were focused on sociocultural risk factors for IPV, aiming primarily to change men's patriarchal attitudes and behaviors (Babcock et al., 2007;Gondolf, 2002;Radatz & Wright, 2016). ...
... Some theorists place the main focus on sociocultural factors such as gender dynamics and patriarchal attitudes, an approach that is exemplified by the Duluth model for IPV intervention (Pence & Paymar, 1993). However, based on the small reported effect sizes of interventions based on this model (Babcock et al., 2004), as well as the consistently-reported associations between individual-level risk factors such as perpetrators' trauma and IPV (e.g., Dutton & Hart, 1992;Ehrensaft et al., 2003;Hastings & Hamberger, 1988;Rosenbaum & O'Leary, 1981;Tolman & Bennett, 1990;White & Widom, 2003), sociocultural models have been criticized for being overly narrow in focus (e.g., Murphy, 2013). Some integrative frameworks, which include consideration of individual, dyadic, and sociocultural factors, have also been applied to IPV; these include the biopsychosocial framework Murphy, 2013;Rosenbaum et al., 1997;Siegel, 2013), the ecological framework (Heise, 1998), the developmental systems perspective (Capaldi et al., 2005), and the general aggression model (GAM;DeWall et al., 2011). ...
... The fact that all participants included in the present review underwent treatment programs is a confounding factor, and it cannot be said with certainty how this affected the findings discussed. Nonetheless, given that current evidence suggests that IPV intervention programs generally have small but significant effects (Babcock et al., 2004;Travers et al., 2021); it should therefore be considered that these interventions may have impacted the psychological variables in the current study. ...
Theoretical accounts of recidivistic intimate partner violence (IPV) continue to differ considerably in relation to the relative weight given to psychological risk factors. A systematic overview of studies that have established psychological predictors of reoffending is currently lacking. This study aimed to identify and provide an overview of studies examining various psychological factors associated with IPV perpetration patterns. A systematic search of research conducted from 1945 to 2024 was carried out on PsycINFO, PubMed, and PILOTS. The inclusion criteria were that studies must not use self-reported reoffending data only, must use a criminal justice sample, must be longitudinal, participants must be over 17 years of age, and that studies must be published in the English language and peer reviewed. A total of 25 longitudinal studies examining individual psychological factors, proposed as potential predictors of IPV reoffending, were eligible. The identified factors were grouped into five categories: personality, anger and hostility, beliefs, attitudes and motivation, neurocognitive deficits and trauma (i.e., family of origin abuse/post-traumatic stress disorder). The current systematic scoping review found that the most-researched psychological predictor of IPV recidivism was personality. While studies vary in relation to the personality traits or disorders that contribute most to the likelihood of reoffending, in general, personality assessment appears to be a promising tool in predicting reoffending. Anger, childhood maltreatment, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), implicit attitudes, and neurocognitive deficits were also identified as predictors of IPV recidivism. Methodological issues were found to be present across studies.
... In Europe, cognitive and psychoeducational approaches to CBT-based BIPs predominate. It has historically been dominating forms of therapy and has been subject to several major systematic evaluations that revealed unclear and/or negative effects on the recurrence of intimate partner violence (IPV) (e.g., Nesset et al., 2019;Karakurt et al., 2019;Stover et al., 2009;McMurran, 2009;Smedslund et al., 2007;Babcock et al., 2004;Wathen, 2003). Recently, Wong & Bouchard (2021) has explored the literature on CBT approaches in IPV interventions and concluded that, as little research has examined how CBT principles are operationalized across program curricula, there is currently insufficient information from which to make recommendations for model CBT approaches in IPV interventions. ...
... In the following, an overview of research on CBT-based BIPs will be provided, including both larger meta-reviews and research within or related to a prison context. Impact studies of traditional and alternative batterer intervention programs Babcock, Green, and Robie's (2004) research shows that treatment design has little impact on recidivism. There are no measurable differences in efficacy between the Duluth model and other CBT treatments for violent offenders. ...
... The variables associated with recidivism were similar to those for recidivism in other criminal groups, such as an unstable lifestyle, substance abuse, and criminal history. According to Babcock et al. (2004), to address the specific problems, BIPs should be adapted to specific subtypes of offenders as well as individual characteristics such as: minority groups, chemically dependent offenders, offenders in different motivational phases, and to the types of violence used by offenders. ...
Despite systematic reviews calling for more research to determine which batterer intervention programmes (BIPs) work, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service officially claims that their CBT-based BIPs are successful. In order to find a plausible explanation for the discrepancy between what the SPPS claims and what is reasonable to claim, a qualitative content analysis of the SPPS' use of evidence in the accreditation of BIPs and the treatment with BIPs is conducted. The study first addresses the manifest content, which refers to the SPPS claims of scientific evidence that BIPs have a positive effect and the internal application of GRADE for the accreditation of BIPs. The results show that despite the SPPS' efforts to keep up to date with research and public claims that treatment programmes reduce recidivism, there is no independent scientific evidence that the treatment methods used are effective. The interpretative analysis of the latent content indicates that the concept of evidence is used rhetorically to convince the public that the activities are conducted successfully, scientifically and cost-effectively. The state of knowledge is uncertain, and a more realistic approach is required as the public has a right to know that treatment of IPV offenders is often based on uncertainty.
... Is a theory or intervention program "cognitive-behavioral" just because it discusses thoughts and actions, or is there something more essential that underlies this term? In their meta-analysis of the effectiveness of abuser intervention programs, Babcock et al. (2004) noted the difficulties they experienced in differentiating between studies investigating CBT and gender-based ("Duluth model") treatments, especially since both models focus on thoughts in order to impact abusive behavior: "To the extent that CBT groups address patriarchal attitudes, and Duluth model groups address the learned and reinforced aspects of violence, any distinction between CBT and Duluth model groups becomes increasingly unclear" (Babcock et al. 2004(Babcock et al. , p. 1026. Indeed, this lack of clarity may underlie why many metaanalytic reviews report little difference in effectiveness (e.g., partner reports of IPV recidivism) between CBT and gender-based model interventions, with these interventions associated with small to negligible effects on partner-and police-reported IPV relative to comparison interventions (Babcock et al. 2004;Eckhardt et al. 2013;Feder and Wilson 2005). ...
... Is a theory or intervention program "cognitive-behavioral" just because it discusses thoughts and actions, or is there something more essential that underlies this term? In their meta-analysis of the effectiveness of abuser intervention programs, Babcock et al. (2004) noted the difficulties they experienced in differentiating between studies investigating CBT and gender-based ("Duluth model") treatments, especially since both models focus on thoughts in order to impact abusive behavior: "To the extent that CBT groups address patriarchal attitudes, and Duluth model groups address the learned and reinforced aspects of violence, any distinction between CBT and Duluth model groups becomes increasingly unclear" (Babcock et al. 2004(Babcock et al. , p. 1026. Indeed, this lack of clarity may underlie why many metaanalytic reviews report little difference in effectiveness (e.g., partner reports of IPV recidivism) between CBT and gender-based model interventions, with these interventions associated with small to negligible effects on partner-and police-reported IPV relative to comparison interventions (Babcock et al. 2004;Eckhardt et al. 2013;Feder and Wilson 2005). ...
... In their meta-analysis of the effectiveness of abuser intervention programs, Babcock et al. (2004) noted the difficulties they experienced in differentiating between studies investigating CBT and gender-based ("Duluth model") treatments, especially since both models focus on thoughts in order to impact abusive behavior: "To the extent that CBT groups address patriarchal attitudes, and Duluth model groups address the learned and reinforced aspects of violence, any distinction between CBT and Duluth model groups becomes increasingly unclear" (Babcock et al. 2004(Babcock et al. , p. 1026. Indeed, this lack of clarity may underlie why many metaanalytic reviews report little difference in effectiveness (e.g., partner reports of IPV recidivism) between CBT and gender-based model interventions, with these interventions associated with small to negligible effects on partner-and police-reported IPV relative to comparison interventions (Babcock et al. 2004;Eckhardt et al. 2013;Feder and Wilson 2005). ...
... For å redusere og forebygge partnervold er det nødvendig med kunnskap om hva som er effektiv behandling. Tradisjonell behandling for utøvere av partnervold baserer seg på Duluth-modellen og kognitiv atferdsterapi (KAT) (Babcock et al., 2004). Duluth-modellen ble utviklet på 1980-tallet som tvungen behandling for menn dømt for partnervold, siktet mot å redusere tilbakefall, også kalt residivisme. ...
... En metaanalyse av 22 studier fant liten effekt av Duluth-modellen og KAT, med 5 % lavere residivisme sammenlignet med kontrollgruppen som ikke fikk behandling (Babcock et al., 2004). ...
Forskning har vist at tradisjonell behandling rettet mot utøvere av partnervold basert på Duluth-modellen og kognitiv atferdsterapi har begrenset langtidseffekt. De senere årene har behandling som i større grad adresserer variasjoner i utøverens individuelle karakteristikker, fått økt oppmerksomhet. Mindfulnessbaserte behandlinger er eksempler på slike tilnærminger. Tidligere oppsummert forskning av mindfulnessbaserte behandlinger har ikke vært systematisk og har ikke fokusert på langtidseffekt. Hensikten med litteraturgjennomgangen er derfor å undersøke langtidseffekten av mindfulnessbaserte behandlinger på utøvelse av partnervold sammenlignet med tradisjonell behandling. Et sekundært mål er å se på mindfulnessbaserte behandlingers effekt på andre relevante psykologiske variabler. Vi foretok et systematisk litteratursøk i databasene Web of Science, PsycINFO, Proquest og PubMED. Seks studier tilfredsstilte inklusjonskriteriene. Vi fant støtte for at aksept- og forpliktelsesbaserte terapier (ACT, ACTV) hadde bedre langtidseffekt enn tradisjonell behandling når det gjelder reduksjon i utøvelse av partnervold. MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) og MBB (mind-body bridging) ga også reduksjon i partnervold, men ikke i større grad enn tradisjonell behandling. Videre fant vi støtte for at mindfulnessbaserte behandlinger ga reduksjon i opplevelsesunngåelse og emosjonell dysregulering og førte til bedring i psykisk helse. Funnene må tolkes med forsiktighet grunnet svakheter ved primærstudiene.
Nøkkelord: mindfulnessbasert behandling, aksept- og forpliktelsesbasert terapi, partnervold, utøver, langtidseffekt, systematisk litteraturgjennomgang
... These approaches are based on personalizing and tailoring the intervention to the participants' needs and risks, and also on increasing motivation for change and Intervention programs for intimate partner violence (IPV) male perpetrators are one of the main treatments for intimate partner aggressors (Cannon et al., 2016;Eckhardt et al., 2006;Voith et al., 2018). Despite their widespread use, the results of meta-analytic studies into their effectiveness have found mixed results in reducing recidivism, with positive, but small to moderate, effect sizes (Arce et al., 2020;Babcock et al., 2004;Cheng et al., 2021;Santirso et al., 2020a;Stephens-Lewis et al., 2021;Travers et al., 2021). ...
... For validity purposes, the relationship between satisfaction with the intervention and other indicators of effectiveness, such as recidivism, working alliance, state of change and motivation to change (Cunha et al., 2023;Dheensa et al., 2022;Eckhardt et al., 2006;Lila et al., 2014Lila et al., , 2018Santirso et al., 2018Santirso et al., , 2020aTravers et al., 2021), is explored. Intervention programs for IPV perpetrators aim to lower perpetrators' recidivism rates (Babcock et al., 2004;Bowen, 2011;Eckhardt et al., 2013). That is why recidivism is the commonest outcome used to assess the effectiveness of these interventions (Bowen, 2011;Scott, 2004;Lila et al., 2019). ...
Purpose
Although research in the intimate partner violence (IPV) field has significantly advanced in recent decades, important challenges remain in intervention effectiveness terms. Some authors point out that satisfaction with intervention could be an indicator of effectiveness. However, this variable has not been thoroughly explored in the scientific literature. This study aimed to develop and validate a scale to measure the satisfaction with the intervention of participants attending an intervention program for IPV perpetrators.
Methods
A panel of experts developed the Satisfaction with the Intervention for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators Scale (SIIPVS) items. A sample of 646 male perpetrators was employed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and a reliability analysis, were conducted. Scale validity was examined in relation to other relevant variables to the intervention, such as recidivism, working alliance, motivation to change and state of change.
Results
The findings indicate that the factor structure with the best fit consisted of three factors: Satisfaction with the facilitators and program delivery, Satisfaction with the learning-process, and Satisfaction with the peer group. All the factors demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Participant satisfaction with various intervention elements was associated with the key variables of these interventions.
Conclusions
The validation analysis results indicated that the SIIPVS is a suitable scale to analyze the satisfaction of the participants attending an intervention program for IPV perpetrators due to its adequate psychometric properties. Understanding participant satisfaction could provide a more comprehensive approach to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions.
... Research have also identified the need for better planning of IPV interventions. Interventions that achieved greater reduction in violent behavior divided aggressors into typologies, assessed frequency and intensity of aggressive behaviors, and offered individualized treatment to the aggressor and the insertion of specific treatments, if they presented use of psychoactive substances or trauma history (Babcock et al., 2004;Karakurt et al., 2019;Voith et al., 2020). ...
... According to a review by Voith et al. (2020), some of these interventions show positive results in emotional regulation strategies, cognitive restructuring, and aggression reduction, demonstrating better outcomes compared to other therapeutic models (Arce et al., 2020). However, other studies show no significant differences between the intervention group and control group, demonstrating minimal results in recidivism (Babcock et al., 2004) or inconclusive findings regarding effectiveness (Smedslund et al., 2011). ...
Objective This study aimed to investigate approaches, strategies, and relevant variables researched in the Brazilian context regarding spousal aggressors, as well as the therapeutic practices used and their impacts. Method A total of 31 studies were retrieved from the Lilacs database (n = 25), SciELO database (n = 5), and PePsic (n = 1). After excluding duplicates and studies not related to batterers, 9 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Results These articles were analyzed and grouped according to their themes, resulting in five categories: cognitive-behavioral therapy groups; reflective groups on gender stereotypes; cultural determinants; jealousy, anxiety, and alcohol consumption; and parenting practices. Conclusion The review observed theoretical divergences and a dispersion of knowledge on the topic across different areas, which can hinder the planning and standardization of interventions for intimate partner aggressors. Additionally, there is a scarcity of research on the topic within the Brazilian context, which may contribute to the current dispersion of knowledge.
... Over the years, PIPs differed in terms of theoretical frameworks to prevent and diminish the risk of IPV (Babcock et al., 2004). The early interventions were based on the Duluth model, which views IPV as a manifestation of patriarchy or male socialization (Pence & Paymar, 1993;Pender, 2012). ...
... The early interventions were based on the Duluth model, which views IPV as a manifestation of patriarchy or male socialization (Pence & Paymar, 1993;Pender, 2012). According to this perspective, the perpetrator uses violence to maintain power and control over their partner (Babcock et al., 2004;Pender, 2012). Therefore, these early PIPs are based on a gender perspective with a psychoeducational approach aimed at modifying the attitudes of male perpetrators toward women (Butters et al., 2021;Dutton & Corvo, 2007;Gannon et al., 2019). ...
Despite the high prevalence and severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration among men with mental health (MH) problems and substance use (SU), there is limited evidence on the most effective ways to reduce IPV within these groups. Hence, the present systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions for male IPV perpetrators with MH issues and SU problems. Five databases (B-On, Pubmed PsycInfo, Science Direct, and Scopus) were searched for studies examining the effectiveness of IPV interventions. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, with 13 interventions described. Interventions were grouped into (1) specific interventions for SU among IPV perpetrators (k = 8), (2) nonspecific interventions for SU among IPV perpetrators (K = 3), and (3) specific interventions targeting MH among IPV perpetrators (k = 2). Cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing techniques were the most common approaches. Both specific and nonspecific programs addressing SU problems showed some positive effects on perpetrators’ behavior and attitudes. However, data from the two intervention programs focusing on MH showed reduced symptoms and re-assaults but without significant differences between the conditions. Despite methodological shortcomings in the studies, the specific and nonspecific interventions targeting SU and IPV show promise, which hinders drawing firmer conclusions. Nonetheless, further research is necessary to deepen our understanding of the MH impact interventions on IPV perpetrators.
... This approach situates the study within the literature by uniquely combining feminist theory with behavioral interventions to assess impacts on participants' awareness, behaviors, and relationship dynamics. Smedslund et al. (2011) found that both court-mandated and voluntary perpetrator programs had limited impact, consistent with meta-analyses showing the ineffectiveness of court-mandated interventions (Babcock et al., 2004;Wilson et al., 2021). Taft and Campbell (2023) attributed these shortcomings to the involuntary, punitive nature of these programs, which contrasts with modern voluntary and health-focused approaches. ...
Domestic violence perpetrator programs should develop a multifaceted approach and implement rigorous evaluations. This study examined the effectiveness of a 10-week healthy relationships program for male perpetrators in Türkiye with recent family restraining orders. The program integrated motivational strategies, cognitive-behavioral therapy, feminist therapy, positive psychology, and the stages of change model. The study utilized a qualitative research design, including semi-structured interviews. A total of 18 men were allocated to three intervention groups (N = 18; Group 1: 6, Group 2: 5, Group 3: 7). Thematic analysis revealed that, despite initial concerns, the men gradually developed trust and acquired new skills through the eclectic approach. However, challenges related to sustaining long-term behavioral change were identified. The results imply that perpetrators have the potential to enhance their communication and anger management abilities, although they may encounter difficulties in fully acknowledging their role in perpetrating violence.
... These findings support the importance of dyadic interventions for situational forms of IPA, in which both partners engage in aggressive behaviors towards one another (see Armenti & Babcock, 2016). Dyadic interventions may offer multiple advantages over interventions focused on individuals-which, although they present the predominant form of IPA treatment, have shown limited success (Babcock et al., 2004;Kelly & Johnson, 2008)-by focusing on the interpersonal dynamics involved in conflict escalation. Per the current results, cognitive behavioral couples therapy (CBCT) approaches that help improve partners' interpretation of each other's emotional Springer Nature journal content, brought to you courtesy of Springer Nature Customer Service Center GmbH ("Springer Nature"). ...
Purpose
Intimate partner aggression (IPA) is a prevalent public health concern that is tied to numerous negative consequences. Thus, it is critical to delineate factors that can be targeted in interventions. Guided by intra- and interpersonal models of aggression, the present study aimed to examine associations between couples’ ratings of their own and their partners’ negative and positive emotions, differences between emotional self- and partner-ratings, and psychological and physical IPA perpetration.
Method
Sixty-seven community couples (N = 134 individuals) in largely bidirectionally aggressive relationships provided data on their own emotions, their perceptions of their partners’ emotions, and IPA via an online self-report questionnaire.
Results
Actor Partner Interdependence Models showed that more extreme emotions, independent of their valence, were associated with greater harm, such that both higher negative and higher positive emotional ratings related to higher risk for IPA perpetration by both partners. Moreover, individuals’ ratings of their partners’ emotions showed more consistent effects than self-ratings, underscoring the interpersonal nature of IPA. Lastly, female partners’ ratings of their male partners’ emotions were especially impactful.
Conclusions
These findings replicate and extend prior research and highlight that individuals’ interpretations of their partners’ emotions may be useful in predicting IPA perpetration. Prevention and intervention programs for bidirectionally aggressive couples may benefit from targeting inaccurate partner perceptions via dyadic approaches to decrease the risk of IPA.
... This aligns with therapeutic models that emphasize empowerment and self-efficacy as crucial for recovery from trauma (Herman, 1992). Studies reinforce the role of therapeutic interventions in facilitating long-term recovery and enhancing the ability to manage PTSD symptoms and other psychological conditions (Babcock, Green, & Robie, 2004). ...
This study investigates the intricate impacts of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) within the Indian context, focusing on the psychological effects and cultural dynamics that influence its occurrence and survivor experiences. Utilising a qualitative methodology, the research aims to explore the causes and contributing factors, assess the psychopathological impact, and investigate the relational challenges and broader life implications of IPV among Indian women. The sample comprises 15 female students from Delhi-NCR region, using thematic analysis to derive nuanced insights from structured interviews. Findings highlight the significance of socio-cultural factors, including gender roles and familial structures, in both perpetrating and tolerating IPV. The study underscores the pervasive impact of IPV on mental health, showcasing patterns of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. It also explores the resilience and coping mechanisms employed by survivors, emphasising the importance of culturally informed therapeutic interventions. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of IPV's complex nature in the Indian setting and suggests the need for targeted interventions that address both individual and systemic factors. ntimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue worldwide, affecting individuals across all socioeconomic, demographic, and cultural backgrounds. However, its manifestations and impacts can vary significantly by cultural context, which necessitates region-specific research to effectively address and mitigate its consequences. This paper focuses on exploring the multifaceted nature of IPV within the Indian context, aiming to uncover the unique cultural dynamics that influence IPV and the diverse experiences of its survivors. Intimate Partner Violence encompasses physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse between current or former partners or spouses. Despite the global attention to the issue, IPV remains under-researched in many regions, including India, where cultural norms and social stigmas contribute to its prevalence and underreporting.
... To our knowledge, as yet there have been no published studies specifically evaluating the acceptability of standard outpatient DBT skills training for men in Aotearoa New Zealand with problems with anger, or examining outcomes for these participants. The majority of large-scale treatment programmes for aggression in Aotearoa New Zealand are typically conducted in a group format (Arias et al., 2013;Babcock et al., 2004). Given that aggression and violent behaviour continue to be major social problems in our country, particularly within the home (Family Violence Death Review Committee, 2020; Lambie, 2018), we were interested in assessing whether this approach showed promise for treating such problems. ...
Eleven men of Māori, Indian, Fijian, Samoan, South African and Pākehā descent (37% Pākehā or European) participated in a 6-month DBT skills group focused on reducing anger and emotion dysregulation. Two men withdrew early, and two additional men joined for the last 8 weeks. Adjusting for multiple comparisons, scores showed significant decreases on the Total Trait Anger domain of the Spielberger State-Trait Anger Inventory-2 (p=.001) between pre and post-treatment. Feedback from a post-treatment focus group indicated participants found the DBT skills group acceptable and useful, with skills from the distress tolerance and mindfulness modules used most often. Recommendations for improvement included reducing the time for homework review and increasing it for teaching. This paper offers considerations for responding to aggression in research contexts, and adds to growing evidence for DBT skills as a promising intervention for problems related to anger for men.
... These programs represent a fundamental strategy within the criminal justice system to mitigate IPV among men convicted of such offenses, often providing an alternative to incarceration by court-mandating individuals to attend community-based intervention programs for IPV perpetrators (8,9). As a result, there has been a growing interest in evaluating the effectiveness of perpetrator programs (10)(11)(12). However, significant challenges remain, with limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of these interventions, as highlighted in systematic reviews and meta-analyses (13)(14)(15)(16). ...
Introduction
The incorporation of motivational strategies has shown promising results in increasing the effectiveness of intervention programs for intimate partner violence perpetrators, such as enhancing treatment adherence and decreasing risk of intimate partner violence recidivism. This could be particularly important for participants with alcohol and/or other drug use problems (ADUPs), who are at higher risk of recidivating and dropping out from the intervention. Consequently, there is a need to study whether motivational strategies are also effective for high-risk and highly resistant participants. The aim of this study was to determine whether the incorporation of motivational strategies led to improved outcomes in participants with ADUPs compared to those without.
Methods
Participants were intimate partner violence male perpetrators who received a standard intervention (n = 349) or a standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan (n = 367). Data on official intimate partner violence recidivism, intervention dose, and dropout were collected after the end of the intervention. Comparisons were made between participants with and without ADUPs in each intervention condition.
Results
Results showed that in the full sample of participants, irrespective of their condition, those with ADUPs presented a higher recidivism (p = .007) and dropout rate (p = .003) and lower intervention dose than those without ADUPs (p = .005). When only considering participants in the standard intervention, results also showed that intimate partner violence perpetrators with ADUPs had a higher recidivism (p = .025) and dropout rate (p = .015) and lower intervention dose (p = .048) than those without. However, there were no significant differences between participants with and without ADUPs in the standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan.
Discussion
When incorporating motivational strategies into the standard interventions for intimate partner violence perpetrators, disparities between participants with and without ADUPs were mitigated. Specifically, participants with ADUPs showed similar outcomes to those without ADUPs after receiving the standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan. Our results suggest that motivational strategies may be effective in reducing intimate partner violence recidivism and improving treatment adherence in high-risk and highly resistant intimate partner violence perpetrators.
... There has been extensive debate as to whether perpetrator interventions actually reduce perpetrators' abusive behaviour or make the lives of victims-survivors and their children safer. Meta-analyses of perpetrator programmes have tended to be inconclusive on what works in these programmes (Akoensi et al. 2013;Babcock et al. 2004;Lilley-Walker et al. 2018). Recent evidence from some randomised trials have reported reductions in abusive behaviour (Nesset et al. 2020;Lila et al.), and evaluations without randomisation have also reported some positive outcomes regarding behaviour (McGinn et al. 2020;O'Connor et al. 2021), although some studies have found only small reductions in abusive behaviour (Haggard et al. 2017), or no such reduction (Herman et al. 2014). ...
High-risk and high-harm domestic abuse perpetrators pose the greatest risk of serious harm to (ex-)partners and family members. Robust evidence of perpetrator intervention is lacking for this group. The Drive perpetrator intervention in the United Kingdom focuses specifically on high-harm perpetrators to reduce abuse and increase safety of victims, using individual case management via support and disruption, co-ordinated multi-agency response and targeted support to victims. This paper reports on evaluation of the Drive pilot. A high quality quasi-experimental approach with individually randomised intervention and controls was applied in three areas in England and Wales. High-risk perpetrators (N = 2627) were allocated randomly to either Drive or usual care (support to victim). Change in safety and risk for Drive-associated victims was compared with the usual care victim group. Longer-term outcomes were assessed before, during and 12 months following the intervention for Drive and control group perpetrators at one site. The Drive intervention reduced abusive perpetrator behaviours and increased safety for victims compared to the control. The reduction in perpetration by both serial and repeat perpetrators sustained for a year after the end of the intervention and was statistically significant (p < 0.001) for Drive perpetrators compared to the control.
... Prior meta-analyses show that those referred to IPV intervention programs demonstrate only a 5% reduction in recidivism relative to untreated groups [15]. The studies of gold-standard IPV assessment methods using reports from survivors show a lack of significant reductions in IPV [16]. ...
This study examined the effectiveness of the virtual delivery of the Strength at Home (SAH) intervention program for intimate partner violence in a sample of 605 military veterans across 69 Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers through a national implementation of the program. Outcome measures included physical IPV, psychological IPV, coercive control behaviors, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and alcohol misuse. Significant pre-intervention to post-intervention reductions were found for all the outcomes, with similar effect size estimates relative to a prior investigation of in-person-delivered SAH through the same national VA implementation. Study findings suggest that the virtual delivery of SAH may be as effective as in-person delivery which has important implications for program access and impact.
... It will be important for future studies to include victim reports, as these data will enhance our knowledge about treatment effectiveness. There is some evidence that victim reports provide a different picture of IPV use (e.g., Babcock et al., 2004). Relatedly, we coded each charge, not one total incident (i.e., one incident may have led to multiple charges), which could have introduced variation due to officer decision-making and potential bias. ...
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a rapid shift to remote platforms for various psychological and behavioral health services, including court-mandated Batterers Intervention Programs (BIPs). However, efficacy of virtually-delivered BIPs has not been examined. This trial represents the second phase of a previously published randomized control trial (RCT; Zarling & Russell, 2022). There were two aims of the current study: the primary aim was to compare virtually-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to virtually-delivered Duluth in a randomized controlled trial, and a secondary aim was to compare the results of the virtually-delivered BIP format to the previous published in person results.
Method
This study included 548 men who were court-mandated to complete a domestic violence program after a first-time conviction of assault against a female partner. Participants were randomized to complete the 24 virtual sessions of the ACT program or the Duluth Model Men’s Nonviolence Classes. Criminal justice outcomes included domestic violence charges, other violent charges, and non-violent charges incurred during the one year following BIP drop-out or completion.
Results
When examining any differences in outcomes between virtual ACT and virtual Duluth, logistic and negative binomial regression analyses showed that treatment type was not a significant predictor of recidivism outcomes, though virtual ACT was associated with fewer recidivists and charges. When comparing these results to the in person results, fewer virtual participants acquired nonviolent charges and they also had significantly fewer total charges compared to in-person participants.
Conclusions
The virtual delivery of ACT sessions and Duluth classes resulted in similar criminal justice-related outcomes among participants in both programs. The non-inferiority examination of virtual delivery compared to in person suggests that virtual programs may offer similar benefits to in-person programs in reducing recidivism among men who have been court-mandated to a BIP.
... Given the mental health implications of IPV, the World Health Organization has recommended addressing IPV as a part of mental health services (World Health Organization, 2010). Yet, implementation of evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for IPV has been limited (Babcock et al., 2004). A recent meta-analysis, however, has shown some novel interventions, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, to have promising effect sizes when treating IPV perpetration (Babcock et al., 2024). ...
Background
High rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental disorders are present in Mozambique where there is a significant treatment gap. We aimed to report Mozambican community stakeholder perspectives of implementing couple-based interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT-C) in preparation for a pilot trial in Nampula City.
Methods
We conducted 11 focus group discussions (6–8 people per group) and seven in-depth interviews with key informants in mental health or gender-based violence (n = 85) using purposive sampling. We used grounded theory methods to conduct an inductive coding and then deductively applied the consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR).
Results
For the outer setting, local attitudes that stigmatize mental health conditions and norm IPV as well as an inefficient legal system were barriers. Stakeholders expressed high acceptability of IPT-C, although a lack of resources was a structural challenge for the inner setting. Adaptation of the approach to screen for and address potential mediators of IPV was important for adopting a multisectoral response to implementation and planning. Delivering IPT-C in the community and in collaboration with community stakeholders was preferable.
Conclusion
Stakeholders recommended multilevel involvement and inclusion of community-based programming. Task shifting and use of technology can help address these resource demands.
... Prior meta-analyses show that those referred to IPV intervention programs demonstrate only a 5% reduction in recidivism relative to untreated groups [15]. Studies of gold-standard IPV assessment methods using reports from survivors show a lack of significant reductions in IPV [16]. ...
This study examined the effectiveness of virtual delivery of the Strength at Home (SAH) intervention program for intimate partner violence in a sample of 605 military Veterans across 69 Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers through a national implementation of the program. Outcome measures included physical IPV, psychological IPV, coercive control behaviors, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and alcohol misuse. Significant pre-intervention to post-intervention reductions were found for all outcomes, with similar effect size estimates relative to a prior investigation of in-person delivered SAH through the same national VA implementation. Study findings suggest that virtual delivery of SAH may be as effective as in-person delivery which has important implications for program access and impact.
... Sherman and Weisburd, 1995), or identify non-placebased interventions should they not exist. These interventions may be technological (Hodgkinson et al., 2022), batterer-based (Babcock et al., 2004), or community-based (Ragavan et al., 2019). ...
A rich body of literature suggests that crime is concentrated in hotspots, some consistently ‘hot’ over long periods. However, whether there are spatial and temporal concentrations of domestic abuse (DA) is presently unknown. While it is plausible that DA data follow similar Pareto curves as general crime, it is equally reasonable to assume stochasticity, especially regarding year-to-year consistency. We conducted a retrospective longitudinal analysis of 1.7 million DA initial reports to the police (as opposed to ‘crime incidents’) over 13 years (2007–19) in London, UK. We also examine crime harm patterns, which provide a more nuanced risk estimate for victims based on a crime harm index. We utilize a combination of spatial statistics and trajectory modelling approaches. We find that a small percentage of addresses are responsible for an outsized proportion of DA counts but half the bandwidth for crime harm generated. Year-to-year repeat victimization at specific addresses is 69.9%, and the mean probability of receiving another DA report from the same address in the following month is 41%. For both crime count and harm models, locations with either low or high DA reportage remained as such throughout the study. Changes in less than 1% of locations will drive DA trends in London. We conclude that concentrating on place-based emergency-calls-for-service data rather than crime reports unmasks a substantially greater likelihood of repeat DA victimization than previously assumed. The discovery of a spatiotemporal DA hotspot allows law enforcement to ‘zero in’ prevention efforts on a small number of premises relative to the overall scale of the capital. Future DA research should place greater weight on micro-place factors associated with DA to calibrate prevention efforts’ accuracy and efficiency.
De gedragsinterventie Beëindigen Onderling Relationeel Geweld (BORG) is door de drie reclasseringsorganisaties (3RO) ontwikkeld en in 2017 ingediend bij de Erkenningscommissie Justitiële Interventies. De interventie is toen niet erkend. Op basis van een behoefte-inventarisatie (Buysse, 2018) hebben de 3RO geconcludeerd dat BORG moet worden doorontwikkeld. In 2019 is, in samenwerking met het programma Kwaliteit Forensische Zorg, hiermee een start gemaakt,
waarbij een knelpuntenanalyse is opgeleverd (Dijkstra & Tan, 2020). Echter bleek dat er te weinig
rekening was gehouden met theoretische en uit wetenschappelijk onderzoek gevonden inzichten op
het gebied van partnergeweld. In 2022 is daarom het project beëindigd. Tevens is door het WODC�onderzoek gedaan naar BORG, waarvan in 2022 een onderzoeksrapport is opgeleverd met
aanbevelingen (Beijersbergen & Piersma, 2022).
Reclassering heeft van het Ministerie van Justitie & Veiligheid (J&V) de opdracht gekregen om
BORG door te ontwikkelen en hiermee te starten in 2023. De opdracht aan de reclassering is om BORG door te ontwikkelen naar een goed uitvoerbare training met een geactualiseerde theoretische onderbouwing, die op inhoud klaar is om ingediend te worden bij de Erkenningscommissie Justitiële Interventies. Om de theoretische basis van BORG te actualiseren en verder te onderbouwen heeft het lectoraat Geweld in Afhankelijkheidsrelaties van het Centre of Expertise Veiligheid & Veerkracht van Avans Hogeschool, in opdracht van de reclassering, een
systematische literatuurstudie uitgevoerd.
From a team of leading experts comes a comprehensive, multidisciplinary examination of the most current research including the complex issue of violence and violent behavior. The handbook examines a range of theoretical, policy, and research issues and provides a comprehensive overview of aggressive and violent behavior. The breadth of coverage is impressive, ranging from research on biological factors related to violence and behavior-genetics to research on terrrorism and the impact of violence in different cultures. The authors examine violence from international cross-cultural perspectives, with chapters that examine both quantitative and qualitative research. They also look at violence at multiple levels: individual, family, neighborhood, cultural, and across multiple perspectives and systems, including treatment, justice, education, and public health.
Background:
Interpersonal violence (IPV) affects half of women living with HIV (WLHIV) in the United States and has important consequences for mental health and HIV outcomes. Although different types of stigmas (eg, HIV- or sexual identity-related) are associated with increased risk of IPV, the relationship between poverty-related stigma and IPV is unclear, even though poverty frequently co-occurs with IPV.
Methods:
Data from up to 4 annual visits (2016-2020) were collected from 374 WLHIV enrolled in a substudy of the Women's Interagency HIV Study (now known as Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/Women's Interagency HIV Study Combined Cohort Study) at 4 sites across the United States. A validated measure of the perceived stigma of poverty was used, along with questions on recent experiences of IPV. We used a mixed-effects model to assess the association between internalized poverty stigma and IPV.
Results:
The unadjusted model with internalized poverty stigma and recent IPV as independent and dependent variables, respectively, suggested that the 2 were associated (prevalence ratio 1.29 [95% CI: 1.02 to 1.62, P = 0.033]). After adjusting for income and education, we found an independent association between internalized poverty-related stigma and recent IPV, with a prevalence ratio of 1.35 (95% CI: 1.07 to 1.71, P = 0.011).
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that reducing the psychologic consequences of poverty may better situate WLHIV to escape or avoid IPV. The usefulness of screening WLHIV who may be experiencing poverty-related stigma for IPV should be investigated. Interventions that address internalized poverty-related stigma may provide an avenue for reducing the harms caused by IPV in addition to interventions aiming to reduce violence itself.
Introduction: Domestic violence remains a pervasive issue globally, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, is no exception. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of various interventions in preventing recidivism among domestic violence perpetrators in Dhaka. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 300 individuals convicted of domestic violence between 2018 and 2023 in Dhaka. Data were collected from court records, police reports, and intervention program records. Recidivism was defined as a subsequent conviction for domestic violence within three years of the initial conviction. The impact of interventions, such as batterer intervention programs, counseling, and legal sanctions, on recidivism rates was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: The overall recidivism rate was 32%. Participation in batterer intervention programs was associated with a significant reduction in recidivism (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.52, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.35-0.77). Counseling also demonstrated a modest protective effect (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.95). Legal sanctions, such as restraining orders and probation, were not independently associated with reduced recidivism. Conclusion: Batterer intervention programs and counseling show promise in reducing domestic violence recidivism in Dhaka. A multi-pronged approach incorporating these interventions, along with enhanced legal and social support systems, is crucial for effectively breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
Domestic violence, characterized by a pattern of assault and coercive behavior, poses a significant threat to the safety and well-being of intimate partners, with women being disproportionately affected. In recent times, the issue of domestic violence has become more pronounced among women whose spouses engage in substance abuse. The main aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of domestic violence and its effects among women whose spouses indulge in substance abuse, with the intention of providing an informational booklet. A non-experimental approach with convenient sampling was employed, and data were collected using the WHO (World Health Organization) questionnaire module including 46 questions. The study was conducted in Narwal, Jammu, and descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. The results revealed a concerning prevalence of domestic violence, with 61% of subjects experiencing moderate violence, additionally, it was noted that a massive number of subjects were not seeking proper help, with only 40% seeking legal help and 20% each seeking help from the police or resorting to physical retaliation against domestic violence. Furthermore, the study found no significant association between women's education levels and autonomy, as shown by p-values of 0.276 and 0.095 for social support and property ownership, respectively. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and support services to address the complex dynamics of domestic violence among women affected by substance abuse within marital relationships.
This chapter summarises evidence-based therapies that have been reported as being effective in managing a wide range of issues that arise with vulnerable families. The chapter reviews evidence about the efficacy of therapies that can be targeted to address specific issues. One purpose of this chapter is to encourage policy makers to recognise the availability of evidence-based early intervention therapies for vulnerable families both while children remain in the care of their parents and after children have been placed in foster care. The second purpose of this chapter is to encourage mental health clinicians to upskill themselves about available therapies.
How personal social services came to be responsible for changing the violent behavioural patterns of perpetrators of men's violence Research has illustrated how victims of men’s violence became the responsibility of the Swedish Personal Social Services (PSS) and how its organisational conditions have professionalised and circumscribed practice for both victims and perpetrators. Since 2021, the responsibility of the PSS has been extended to include changing the violent behavioural patterns of perpetrators. The aim of this study has therefore been to explore the background of this legislation by asking how perpetrators of violence became the responsibility of the PSS. Following Bacchi´s Whats the Problem represented to be-approach, I analyse representations of the problem in different policies. Three phases are identified, stretching from late 1990 to 2021, when perpetrators of men’s violence are discussed on the political agenda and the PSS is given increased responsibility. First, the problem is not seen as the responsibility of the PSS; nevertheless, thereafter it is given some responsibility. Finally, in the last phase, the municipalities are given legislative responsibility. The problem thus transforms from initially being seen as caused by gender order and family problems to a behavioural issue that can be solved with treatment. In conclusion, I discuss possible explanations for why the PSS has been given responsibility for perpetrators of men’s violence. These include the limited number of actors the legislator had available, the Swedish history of men’s violence as a social problem and the knowledge base and practice that had developed over the years within the PSS. Finally, I discuss why the legislation has been realised as treatment. Overall, I argue that treatment for perpetrators of men’s violence existed in the emerging support field targeting men, which was then taken over and thereby professionalised by the PSS.
Cruelty against men is a widely neglected narrative in the discourse of gender-based violence. Despite the widespread recognition of the existence of violence against women, violence against men often goes unnoticed and unacknowledged. The issue has become a topic of discussion in recent years, with scholars and activists highlighting the prevalence and impacts of violence against men. Violence against women has been at the forefront of discussions on gender violence for a long time, but it cannot be said for violence against men. The focus of discussion and research has primarily been on women as victims of violence, while the experiences of men have been marginalized. The aim is to explore the issue of cruelty against men, including its causes, types, impacts and challenges in addressing it, and to focus on exploring the experiences of men who have suffered cruelty, including physical, emotional and sexual abuse to examine the reasons why these experiences have been ignored. It highlights the need for more research on cruelty against men and the development of policies to address the affair. This article seeks to highlight the issue of cruelty against men, the forms of violence they face and the impact it has on their lives.
The current study addresses the paucity of research on relationship violence intervention program (RVIP) attrition examining both male and female clients and risk factors for attrition across gender. Bivariate comparison tests and logistic regression were used to examine gender differences among participants from four RVIPs in Maryland that serve both male and female clients ( n = 1,307). Findings showed significant bivariate differences by gender for 14 of the factors examined. Less than half of clients (48%) completed RVIP, and women were significantly more likely to complete than men. A greater number of factors predicted attrition for male clients, but unemployment was the strongest predictor of attrition for both men and women. Implications for integrating gender-responsive practices into RVIP are discussed.
During pregnancy and the early parenting period, women are especially vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), with devastating impacts on women, children, and families. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of father-focused interventions to prevent or reduce IPV during pregnancy and early parenthood. Six databases were searched, using a combination of the concepts “fathers,” “pregnancy/early parenthood,” “IPV” and “intervention.” Articles were double screened by title and abstract, and then full-text. Methodological and reporting quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Fifteen papers were eligible for inclusion; these articles were mostly of poor-to-moderate quality. Only three of the articles reported on interventions in lower- and middle-income countries. The most common forms of IPV addressed in these interventions were physical (10), psychological (8), sexual (4), and economic/financial (3). Of 12 articles reporting on data from both intervention and control groups, only six indicated statistically significant results; among these, only three reported robust analyses showing significantly greater reduction in IPV in intervention than in control groups. All three took place in lower- or middle-income countries. Two were underpinned by theoretical frameworks, which considered transforming traditional perceived gender norms. Therefore, interventions based on principles that address transformation of gender norms show promise but the success of such underlying principles needs to be confirmed, and better-quality evidence and reporting are needed for interventions targeting fathers to prevent or reduce IPV.
Little is known about the factors that facilitate change in interventions designed for intimate partner perpetrators. This qualitative study examined factors perpetrators in a voluntary-based batterer programme had experienced as having helped them reduce their intimate partner violence. The data were drawn from video-recorded group meetings.
The data comprised recordings of 30 videotaped weekly group sessions held over a two-year period. The data were analysed by data-driven content analysis. We also examined which of the participants – facilitators or perpetrators – initiated discussion on factors helpful in reducing intimate partner violence
Multiple factors that perpetrators had found useful in reducing their violent behaviours were found: New skills, Changes in attitudes and ways of thinking, Receiving peer support in the group, and Increased personal well-being and functioning. These factors might be connected as part of a process of critical self-reflection which was enabled through reduced feelings of shame and increased empathy. These discussions began at the initiative of the facilitator or group members, by sharing the experiences of another group member, or by open-ended questions from group members to others.
A meta-analysis of child and adolescent psychotherapy outcome research tested previous findings using a new sample of 150 outcome studies and weighted least squares methods. The overall mean effect of therapy was positive and highly significant. Effects were more positive for behavioral than for nonbehavioral treatments, and samples of adolescent girls showed better outcomes than other Age × Gender groups. Paraprofessionals produced larger overall treatment effects than professional therapists or students, but professionals produced larger effects than paraprofessionals in treating overcontrolled problems (e.g., anxiety and depression). Results supported the specificity of treatment effects: Outcomes were stronger for the particular problems targeted in treatment than for problems not targeted. The findings shed new light on previous results and raise significant issues for future study.
Although most reviews of comparative psychotherapy literature have failed to find significant differences among treatments, it is premature to give up the search for differential effects. There are a large number of patient, therapist, and treatment variables that may mediate the effects of treatments. Given the enormity of the task of exploring potential interactions among the many patient, therapist, and psychotherapy types, a guiding model is needed by which to narrow our search for variables that mediate between treatment type and outcome. However, theoretical constructs that represent both patient and therapy variations frequently are poorly defined. Tests of treatment selection models that cut across narrow theoretical differences among psychotherapies and that operationalize definitions of patient types hold promise for revealing meaningful Patient × Therapist interaction effects in psychotherapy.
This paper reviews three questions based upon the research literature on group treatment programs for batterers: (1) Does treatment reduce violence relative to the absence of treatment, (2) Do some forms of treatment work better than others, and (3) Does treatment work better for some batterers than for others? While there exist several dozen evaluations of batterer treatment programs, few have employed methodologies which are appropriate to addressing the issue of whether treatment is effective. However, among the handful of quasi-and true experiments there is fairly consistent evidence that treatment works and that the effect of treatment is substantial. Regarding the second question, we have little evidence to date that one form of treatment is superior to another or that longer programs turn out less violent graduates than shorter ones. Regarding the last question, there are bases for hypothesizing that some batterers may fare better in treatment (or fare better in certain types of treatment) than others. However, empirical verification has been highly limited to date. The paper concludes with lessons drawn from the literature on designing future research.
This article reports on findings obtained from a review and analysis of 37 standards for batterer programs in the United States that were in existence as of September 1997. Standards were examined for their content, organized into categories and in addition, by common themes. Information obtained through telephone interviews served to further clarify and expand on the written documents. Standards were distinguishable by whether program compliance to them was mandatory or voluntary. Elements of standards included: (a) accounts about their history, development, and purpose; (b) the protocol and procedures programs should follow; and (c) directives pertaining to program staff ethics and qualifications. The article concludes by providing both an analysis and discussion of the standards, including some suggestions for their improvement.
Social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals are increasingly offering services to men who batter their women partners. This article describes the results of an experiment comparing three types of brief treatment groups offered in two differing intensities to batterers. Of 283 men who were randomly assigned to one of the six treatment conditions, 153 completed 80% or more of the assigned sessions. Eighteen-month follow-up interviews were conducted with 70 program completers or their partners. The results indicated that short-term, relatively structured group treatment tended to produce the most consistent successful results compared to an earlier study. Men's involvement with the courts and their lack of prior mental health treatment predicted lower levels of violence at the 18-month follow-up.
This article describes a revised Conflict Tactics Scales (the CTS2) to measure psychological and physical attacks on a partner in a marital, cohabiting, or dating relationship; and also use of negotiation. The CTS2 has (a) additional items to enhance content validity and reliability; (b) revised wording to increase clarity and specificity; (c) better differentiation between minor and severe levels of each scale; (d) new scales to measure sexual coercion and physical injury; and (e) a new format to simplify administration and reduce response sets. Reliability ranges from .79 to .95. There is preliminary evidence of construct validity.
A quasi-experimental design was used to examine the effectiveness of motivational enhancement techniques in increasing session attendance and reducing dropout among 189 men undergoing group domestic abuse counseling. The treatment retention procedures were associated with significantly greater session attendance and lower dropout rates even after controlling for demographic factors. Increased session attendance was associated with lower posttreatment relationship violence and criminal recidivism among those who received the treatment retention intervention. The intervention appeared to be particularly effective with ethnic minority clients. Findings indicate that supportive treatment retention procedures during the course of therapy can reduce the high dropout rates commonly reported in counseling programs for male domestic abuse perpetrators. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This meta-analysis compares effect size estimates from 51 randomized experiments to those from 47 nonrandomized experiments. These experiments were drawn from published and unpublished studies of Scholastic Aptitude Test coaching, ability grouping of students within classrooms, presurgical education of patients to improve postsurgical outcome, and drug abuse prevention with juveniles. The raw results suggest that the two kinds of experiments yield very different answers. But when studies are equated for crucial features (which is not always possible), nonrandomized experiments can yield a reasonably accurate effect size in comparison with randomized designs. Crucial design features include the activity level of the intervention given the control group, pretest effect size, selection and attrition levels, and the accuracy of the effect-size estimation method. Implications of these results for the conduct of meta-analysis and for the design of good nonrandomized experiments are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Three different 12-month interventions for servicemen who had been substantiated as having physically assaulted their wives were used and the outcomes examined. The 861 couples of the study were randomly assigned to 4 groups: a men's group, a conjoint group, a rigorously monitored group, and a control group. Cognitive-behavioral interventions were implemented for the men's and conjoint groups, and outcome data were gathered from male perpetrators and female victims at roughly 6-month intervals over the approximately 18-month experimental period. Data analyses revealed nonsignificant differences between the experimental groups over a variety of outcome measures.
Batterer intervention programs are an integral part of any comprehensive approach to domestic violence. However, because intervention programs are relatively new, there is a need for increased communication between programming providers and criminal justice professionals. The latest publication in NIJ's Issues and Practices series, Batterer Intervention: Program Approaches and Criminal Justice Strategies provides judges, prosecutors, and probation officers with the information they need to better understand batterer intervention and make appropriate decisions regarding programming.
Most previous evaluations of batterer programs have been quasi-experimental designs or evaluations with no comparison group. Two recent experimental evaluations attempted more rigorous science and produced little or no evidence of program effect for conventional batterer counseling compared to a control group. These experimental evaluations must be viewed with caution because of methodological limitations of their own. As with many experimental evaluations, there were difficulties in implementing the random assignment of subjects and reliance on an intention-to-treat approach amid substantial dropout rates. Also, the response rates to the follow-up are relatively low, leaving one study to use probation records rather than victim reports for the outcome. Other studies have shown the influence of a variety of contextual factors on program outcome. There are alternative analytical methods and research designs to address some of these problems. These alternatives, along with practitioner and clinical experience, need to be weighed in the balance.
This paper reviews research on family violence in the seventies. The issue of family violence became increasingly visible as a social and family issue in the decade of the seventies. Whereas research in the sixties tended to view domestic violence as rare and confined to mentally disturbed and/or poor people, research in the seventies revealed family violence as an extensive phenomenon which could not be explained solely as a consequence of psychological factors or income. Students of domestic violence grappled with the problems of defining abuse and violence, sampling problems, and measurement issues as they focused their efforts on measuring the incidence of family violence, the factors related to violence in the family, and the development of causal models to explain family violence. The review concludes by discussing research needs and future issues in the study of violence in the family.
Deterrence theories and labeling theories offer inconsistent predictions about the relative impact of legal and informal controls on the subsequent criminal activities of arrested persons. In a controlled experiment using police contacts for domestic violence offenses in Milwaukee, we test whether the effect of arrest on recidivism is conditional on key individual characteristics indicating a "stake in conformity." Contrary to deterrence theories, arrest had no overall crime reduction effect in either the official or victim interview measures of repeat domestic violence. Consistent with labeling theories, arrest increased recidivism among those with a low stake in conformity: the unemployed and the unmarried. Neither race nor a record of prior offenses conditioned the effect of arrest on subsequent domestic violence. The results are consistent with findings from similar experiments in Omaha, Dade County (Miami), and Colorado Springs.
Many treatment programs for domestic abuse perpetrators rely on consistent, direct, and often intense confrontation of defenses. These interventions may unwittingly increase rather than decrease resistance and defensiveness and may reinforce the belief that relationships are based on coercive influence. Available research suggests that confrontational, hostile, and critical therapist behaviors limit treatment effectiveness and can harm vulnerable clients. Conversely, a supportive and collaborative working alliance between therapist and client enhances treatment effects. Supportive strategies are available to increase motivation to change in resistant clients. These techniques rely on a comprehensive model of the change process and match therapist interventions to the client's readiness for change.
A follow-up of court-referred male batterers in four cites was conducted to assess the long-term outcomes of batterer programs (N = 618). About 70% of the batterers’initial and new female partners were interviewed by phone every 3 months for the first 15 months and every 7 to 8 months for the next 15 months. According to the women’s reports, 41% of the men committed a reassault during the 30-month follow-up period—an increase of only 7% over the 15-month reassault rate. Nearly two thirds of the first-time reassaults occurred in the first 6 months. About a fifth of the men repeatedly reassaulted their partners and account for most of the reported injuries. The reassault rate for men attending a program for 3 months or more is significantly less than for dropouts. The reassault rates are not significantly different across the four programs, despite differences in program length and services.
Modern law reform developments have focused increased attention on the jurisprudence of family violence. State intervention in ongoing family relations has been generally constrained by concern for family privacy except when the taking of life, parental incest, or the imminent threat to life or health of a minor child was involved. There are three basic enforcement strategies for dealing with family violence- privatization, contingent intervention, and compulsory intervention- and they represent a continuum of responses to suppress violence among intimates. Privatization is essentially a separation from the formal legal system, contingent intervention makes legal responses available only after the victim has taken action, and compulsory intervention involves full enforcement of the criminal law. Participants in the social and political movement calling for criminalization of family violence would use criminal law powers to regulate family violence by preferring criminal law over other alternatives to deal with family violence, using general crime categories to punish violence within the family as severely as the same acts outside of families, using severe sanctions as instruments of moral education, and reviving interest in the significance of relationships between victim and offender in defining and grading violent offenses.
This article reviews the existing research dealing with conjugal violence and critically evaluates the usefulness of these findings for clinical practitioners. The clinical literature concerning interspousal violence is then reviewed. The relative merits of the leading clinical approaches to treating conjugal violence are discussed, and a number of critical issues involved in working with violent relationships are outlined. Suggestions for joining with violent spouses, overcoming initial resistances, and keeping violent spouses in treatment are offered. Finally, those situations for which marital therapy may not be considered the treatment of choice are discussed.
Development of research on intrafamily conflict and violence requires both conceptual clarity and measures of the concepts. The introduction to this paper therefore seeks to clarify and distinguish the concepts of "conflict," "conflict of interest," "hostility," and "violence." The main part of the paper describes the Conflict Tactics (CT) Scales. The CT Scales are designed to measure the use of Reasoning, Verbal Aggression, and Violence within the family. Information is presented on the following aspects of this instrument: theoretical rational, acceptability to respondents, scoring, factor structure, reliability, validity, and norms for a nationally representative sample of 2,143 couples.
A growing societal awareness of the frequency and seriousness of spouse abuse has brought with it increased reliance on clinical interventions. Over the past decade, the use of court-ordered psychotherapeutic treatments as a pretrial diversion or dispositional alternative has increased dramatically. Currently, little published research has documented the effectiveness of these court-ordered treatments. The studies reviewed here cast doubt on the assumption that mandatory psychotherapeutic treatments are effective in reducing future incidents of violence between spouses. The incremental benefit of court-ordered treatment over the deterrent effects of traditional criminal justice system remedies is unclear. Differences in abuse recidivism between subjects court-ordered into treatment and subjects arrested and untreated have been small. In addition, subjects withdraw from treatment despite a court order to attend, indicating that legal system involvement does not motivate many unwilling subjects. Furthermore, subjects who discontinue treatment prematurely remain violence-free almost as often as subjects who complete treatment programs, thus drawing into question the, specific impact of clinical treatment for men who abuse their spouses. Future research is necessary to elucidate the precise benefits and appropriate focus of court-ordered treatment programs.
This study examined prosecution and post-prosecution elements of a coordinated community intervention approach to male perpetrators of adult domestic violence. In a sample of 235 cases, recidivism was assessed from official criminal justice data during a 12- to 18-month period after cases were initially handled by the Baltimore, Maryland State's Attorney's Domestic Violence Unit. Court orders for domestic violence counseling were associated with significantly lower criminal recidivism for battery or violation of a civil order of protection. Lower criminal recidivism was also associated with the cumulative effects of successful prosecution, probation monitoring, receiving a court order to counseling, attending counseling intake, and completion of counseling. Individuals with greater involvement in this intervention system had lower recidivism rates, even though offenders with more extensive abuse histories experienced more intervention. Results provide qualified support for coordinated community intervention for domestic violence perpetrators.
This study represents the first attempt to directly compare two common methods of providing spouse abuse intervention, group treatment of couples, or gender-specific groups. Forty-nine couples were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments. Of these, data were available at posttest on only 42 couples because of attrition of the victimized spouses. A multiple analysis of covariance at posttest demonstrated that for the majority of abusers it did not matter which treatment was used. However, for those with a history of alcohol abuse, the couples approach was clearly superior. Analysis of victims' reports at a 6-month follow-up suggests that neither treatment approach was more effective in sustaining initial treatment gains over time. Finally, the issue of victim safety was addressed. Qualitative assessment of weekly reporting sheets suggests that women who received the couples group intervention were in no more danger than those receiving treatment in the gender-specific groups.
Family violence research has only recently begun to investigate desistance. Recent developments in the study of behaviors other than family violence, such as the use of addictive substances, suggest that common processes can be identified in the cessation of disparate behaviors involving diverse populations and occurring in different settings. Desistance is the outcome of processes that begin with aversive experiences leading to a decision to stop. Desistance apparently follows legal sanctions in nearly three spouse abuse cases in four, but the duration of cessation is unknown beyond short study periods. Batterers with shorter, less severe histories have a higher probability of desisting than batterers with longer, more severe histories. Victim-initiated strategies, including social and legal sanctions plus actions to create aversive experiences from abuse (e. g., divorce and loss of children) and social disclosure, also lead to desistance. Batterers are more resistant to change when they participate in s...
Examined effectiveness of relationship enhancement counseling groups for wife abusers by comparing recidivism rates of wife abusers (N=30) in pretrial diversion with rates for abusive husbands who refused treatment (N=30) or who were not referred for treatment (N=30). Treatment was associated with cessation of abuse for one year. (NB)
Assessed the impact of court-ordered treatment for wife assault by monitoring 156 men who had completed such treatment for up to 11 yrs after treatment completion. Recidivist assault and wife assault were assessed through access to Canadian Police Information Centre data that record crimes committed anywhere in Canada. Comparisons were drawn between this group and a group of 167 dropouts from treatment (noncompleters), 32 men rejected for treatment because of resistance or denial (rejects), and 91 men who never appeared for their treatment assessment (no shows). Whereas time-to-failure failed to reveal significant between-group differences, a recidivism ratio (total repeat offenses per man-in-group) revealed significantly lower recidivism rates for treatment completers. No shows recidivated at an equal rate to completers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Describes a curative factor framework and offers it as a model for conceptualizing group phenomena. 11 curative factors (interpersonal learning, identification, instillation of hope, imparting information, socializing techniques, universality, catharsis, existentialism, family reenactment, cohesion, and altruism) are organized on a triangle of continua that integrates the concerns, developmental dynamics, theoretical perspectives, and leader behaviors that characterize group counseling. It is suggested that counselors can use the framework to assess groups and to choose interventions that potentially facilitate curative factors congruent with the groups' goals. Investigators can use the framework to identify directions and methods for studies on group counseling. The framework is based primarily on theory; additional counseling experience and empirical research are recommended to establish its validity and utility. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This manual shows you a statistical program that will allow you to summarize the results of multiple independent studies using either a fixed-effects model or mixed-effects model meta-analysis, and allow you to compare multiple classes using cumulative effect sizes and confidence intervals, as well as the between-class homogeneity, Q
B. The program also tests within-class homogeneity, Q
W, in the fixed-effects model, using chi-square. The program also allows for the direct input of an effect size by the user and the sampling variance of that effect size, for each study. This input allows the user to perform a meta-analysis on alternative measures of effect size (e.g., correlation coefficient, odds ratio, and so on).
This program will also allow you to incorporate resampling tests into your meta-analysis. In particular, confidence intervals for mean effect sizes can be generated using 2 different bootstrap procedures (bootstrap confidence intervals and bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals).
The program also allows you to refine your analysis by removing certain classes or studies from the analysis without having to alter the data file. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
assessment of marital violence [is marital violence occurring, assessing the violence in more detail, assessing other relevant variables, assessment summary] / treatment of marital violence [treatment goals and format, behavioral-cognitive therapeutic interventions designed to eliminate violence, other treatment/theoretical approaches designed to eliminate marital violence, clinical issues for marital violence therapists to consider] / research on interventions for marital violence [empirical evidence of the effects of arrest, treatment outcome literature: methodological problems, treatment outcome findings] (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
in reviewing five different clinical approaches to wife abuse, I will emphasize how each model's primary techniques and methodology reflect quite different assumptions about and explanations for the battering of women
by further applying a feminist analysis to each model, I will show how some of these approaches collude with batterers by using techniques that do not adequately address the violence or by adopting modalities that comprise the man's responsibility for change
the clinical approaches to be analyzed include the insight, ventilation, interaction, cognitive-behavioral, and profeminist models (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)