Cognitive Styles and Socialized Attitudes of Men Who Batter: Where Should We Intervene?

Abstract

Current trends in intervention with woman batterers often focus upon changing their cognitive styles or socialized attitudes. There is, however, little empirical evidence supporting the contribution of these factors to woman abuse. This study examines the combined ability of selected cognitive and attitudinal measures to differentiate among violent and nonviolent Israeli men and predict their physical violence. The results indicate that violent and nonviolent men can be differentiated primarily on the basis of their attitudes and, to a lesser degree, on the basis of their cognitions. The results also indicate that batterers' physical violence is significantly predicted by men's negative attitudes toward battered women and men's lower levels of rational thinking. These results support a multilevel approach to intervention with men who batter.