Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration: Moving Toward a Comprehensive Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an urgent public health concern. Despite extensive research that has highlighted the heterogeneity of IPV perpetrators, the majority of treatment programs for perpetrators have taken a “one-size-fits-all” approach, which has rendered high rates of attrition and violence recidivism. More comprehensive intervention approaches are needed to address the individual treatment needs of IPV perpetrators. Intervention should be founded on a problem theory that delineates how the relevant sequelae are connected to the social problem in order to provide guidance on how it may be addressed. Accordingly, the primary aim of this article is to take an initial step toward improving IPV perpetrator intervention by examining current theory and offering a refined theoretical lens with which to view IPV perpetration. After a thorough examination of IPV perpetration, including the epidemiology, etiology, and implications for social welfare and social intervention, an in-depth review is provided on three key theories commonly applied to IPV perpetration: feminist theory, neurobiological theories of trauma, and attachment theory. This article concludes with a critique of each theory and the proposal of a new, more comprehensive conceptual model for understanding the risk factors of IPV perpetration.