Batterer Intervention Programs Research Articles

Undermining the Moral Obligations of Manhood Acts

Hybrid masculinities—men's integration of previously marginalized characteristics into acceptable performances of manhood—are emergent in contemporary gender studies. While some scholars see egalitarian promise in these configurations of manhood, their utility in improving gender equality is contested. Drawing from an ethnography of a profeminist Batterer Intervention Program (BIP), I utilize prominent symbolic interactionist theories to explore how men in the program were resocialized to a hybrid hegemonic masculinity. I position defining the situation as fundamental to manhood acts and show how rules in the BIP alter establishment of the working consensus, prompting resocialization even when participants reject ideological or educational program content. The process of resocialization is bolstered by masculinity affirmations deployed when men exhibit desired traits, but undermined by false indicators of change and protective practices deployed by other men. At their most severe, these patterns resulted in symbolic egalitarians—men who promptly adopt the progressive sign‐equipment of the hybrid masculinity, but actively shore up their gendered power. I conclude that awareness of these processes can improve men's interventions, and demonstrate the effectiveness of symbolic interactionism for explaining how hybrid masculinities result in various fields of egalitarian outcomes informed by other theories of masculinity.

Psychometric Test Review of the Abusive Behaviour Inventory (ABI)

This paper examines the Abusive Behaviour Inventory (ABI), which is regarded as an efficient self-report measure with demonstrated high reliability and validity. This examination aims to determine the tool’s effectiveness when screening for victims of domestic violence and present recommendations for how the device may be improved. Within this critique, the ABI is analysed through a literature review and the exploration of the tool’s development. A detailed overview of the ABI is included, and its reliability and validity are critically reviewed. Findings from the research base of this tool are presented and also discussed. While the ABI is regarded as an efficient self-report measure which has been demonstrated to have both high reliability and validity, after evaluation, implementing a structured professional judgement (SPJ) approach is recommended. This would expand the tool’s utility to include risk and safety assessment. In addition, methods and considerations for including LGBTQ relationships are introduced. Finally, implications for the ABI’s use in informing batterer intervention programs are highlighted. It is concluded that more research is warranted to continue increasing the ABI’s applicability to different intimate relationship archetypes and populations.

Randomized Clinical Trial of a Brief Alcohol Intervention as an Adjunct to Batterer Intervention for Women Arrested for Domestic Violence.

Despite a rise in women being arrested for domestic violence and court-ordered to batterer intervention, batterer interventions remain limited in their ability to address women's treatment needs. Alcohol use is an important intervention target: one-third of women in batterer interventions have an alcohol-related diagnosis, half engage in at-risk drinking, and alcohol use contributes to intimate partner violence (IPV) and batterer intervention dropout. Research has not evaluated whether adding an alcohol intervention to batterer intervention improves women's alcohol use and IPV outcomes. We randomized 209 women (79.9% white) in Rhode Island to receive the state-mandated batterer intervention program alone or the batterer intervention program plus a brief alcohol intervention. Alcohol use (percentage of days abstinent from alcohol [PDAA], number of drinks per drinking day [DPDD], percentage of heavy drinking days [PHDD], percentage of days abstinent from alcohol and drugs [PDAAD]), and IPV perpetration and victimization frequency (psychological, physical, and sexual IPV, injury) data were collected at baseline and 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. Multilevel modeling revealed that, relative to the batterer intervention alone, women who received the brief alcohol intervention reported a higher PDAA and PDAAD, fewer DPDD, and a lower PHDD across all follow-up assessments. Women who received the brief alcohol intervention perpetrated less physical IPV and experienced less injury than did women who only received the batterer intervention. For physical IPV, these differences became more pronounced over time. No other group differences or group x time interactions emerged. Adding an alcohol intervention may improve batterer intervention outcomes for women arrested for domestic violence.

Systematic Investigation of Meta-Analysis Data on Treatment Effectiveness for Physical, Psychological, and Sexual Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration.

Intimate partner violence can lead to physical, economical, mental, and sexual well-being issues, and even death, and it is most commonly experienced by women. There exist a number of treatment models for the prevention and treatment of intimate partner violence (IPV). In this study, we provided a comprehensive meta-regression analysis of the effectiveness of batterer treatment programs, with a view to characterizing the interplay between different forms of IPV (physical, psychological, and sexual). Using meta-regression, we explore the effect sizes and whether IPV treatment methods have distinct impacts on the outcomes. We use the difference normalized by pretreatment mean and variance foldchange to uncover the relationship between different violence subtypes and how they drive each other. Specifically, our study found that studies with more pre-treatment psychological and/or sexual violence, lead to less favorable outcomes while the studies that start with more physical violence are able to demonstrate their effects more effectively. Results of this study can be used to help the clinician effectively select the treatment for the perpetrator based on the violence type and severity of violence in order to more effectively treat the needs for each specific relationship.

Gains Made by Men Attending a Battering Intervention Program: Insights From Exit Letters Written by BIP Clients From 1990 to 2015

Research on battering intervention programs (BIPs) has expanded significantly in the last several years to include qualitative measures of men’s experiences in such programs. This research has provided useful insights into what gains men who perpetrate violence may take away from BIPs. However, to expand our definition of success for BIPs and better understand the full range of potential benefits to clients of such programs, more research is needed that seeks to describe clients’ perspectives on what they learned from a BIP. The present study uses clients’ written reflections on their experience with a community-based BIP to understand what gains clients described making during the BIP process. We analyzed a random sample of 555 exit letters collected from a participating BIP to understand what clients felt they had learned during their time in the program. Analysis was conducted using a three-coder iterative approach, which focused on content and global coding of broad thematic and subthematic categories. Our findings suggest that BIP clients leave programs with both didactic or psychoeducational and interpersonal and intrapersonal gains that may need to be considered as alternative measures of success for such programs. This study is important for identifying ways to increase the understanding of BIP “success” by suggesting potential outcomes that could be measured in future evaluation research.

"Get Stuck and Can't Walk Out": Exploring the Needs for Support Among Chinese Immigrant Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in the United States.

Chinese immigrant survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States have been overlooked and underserved. The purpose of this study was to explore their perceptions of resources for assistance as well as their priority needs. We conducted phone interviews with 20 Chinese immigrant women who had experienced IPV in the past year. The women expressed their needs for emotional support, culturally specific services, a variety of online resources to meet different demands, being empowered, raising the Chinese community's awareness about IPV, and batterer intervention programs. These women's testimonies shows that greater effort should be directed toward addressing those needs in order to reduce IPV and its impacts on health in this vulnerable group of women.

Criminal Thinking in a Sample of Men and Women Attending a Multi-Site Batterer Intervention Program

The study investigated differences and similarities in criminal thinking between men and women attending a multi-site Batterer Intervention Program (BIP). Overall, rates of criminal thinking were low. However, the results of the multivariate analyses suggest that, after controlling for demographic characteristics (i.e., race, ethnicity, education, SES) and personal experiences (i.e., prior convictions, mental health problems, substance abuse, experience of abuse) female participants significantly differed from men in patterns of Power Orientation. If replicated by other studies, especially studies that use larger samples of women enrolled in BIPs, these findings may contribute to identifying rehabilitation programs that best address women’s needs.

Challenges to an Individualized Approach Toward Batterers Intervention Programs in the Context of Coordinated Community Response to the Intimate Partner Violence in Lithuania.

Although batterers' intervention programs (BIPs) constitute an important part of the coordinated response to intimate partner violence (IPV) and contribute to increasing the perpetrators' accountability and keeping victims safe, the effectiveness of these programs is still debated. Only recently has the focus of these debates shifted away from researching outcomes by measuring overall program effectiveness toward specific qualities of interventions across program models that may be effective for the distinct client (Babcock et al., Clinical Psychology Review, 23(8), 1023-1053, 2004; Zarling et al., Psychology of Violence, 9(3), 257-266, 2019). The discussion on the practical implementation of BIPs was supplemented by various significant concepts emerging from new empirical findings, such as differential treatment, motivational interviewing, and effective facilitator-client alliances (Hamel et al., Partner Abuse, 11(4), 387-414, 2020; Holtrop et al., Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(8), 1267-1290, 2017). This paper aimed to address some of the abovementioned concepts by identifying challenges that arise during the implementation of BIPs in Lithuania. Using qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with BIPs facilitators, BIPs attendees, and various stakeholders, the paper discusses how to contribute to more effective BIPs outcomes. According to this study, the process of implementing BIPs in Lithuania should be systematized by incorporating existing instruments, such as motivational interviewing, risk-based assessment, and differential treatment, evidence-based programs focused on different theoretical approaches, and forms of implementation. The study found that the consistency and integrity of the entire BIP implementation process should be prioritized, and institutional cooperation in Lithuania needs to be improved to achieve a successful coordinated response to intimate partner violence.

Evaluating the Impact of Policy and Programming on Female-Victim Intimate Partner Homicide at the County Level in Florida.

Legal and social service interventions aim to mitigate intimate partner violence (IPV) and keep IPV from becoming lethal. Accordingly, this study examines the impact of policies and programs on female-victim intimate partner homicide (FVIPH) rates across the 67 counties of the state of Florida. It focuses on community coordinated response efforts, batterer intervention programs, local domestic violence (DV) ordinances, DV fatality review teams, and DV shelter programs. Results indicate that community coordinated response efforts are associated with decreasing FVIPH rates. Discussions of findings, limitations, and implications are provided accordingly.

Family medicine provider and staff identification and response to male patient intimate partner violence perpetration.

Context: One in five men report lifetime intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration defined as using physical force against an intimate partner. Two in three male IPV perpetrators seek routine health services. Family medicine physicians can use IPV perpetration screening tools validated in healthcare, and potentially refer men to local battering intervention programs. However, family medicine physicians feel unprepared to screen male patients for IPV due to lack of knowledge and training. Objective: understand family medicine provider and staff feasibility and acceptability of identification and response to male patient IPV perpetration. Study Design and Analysis: individual online, audio-recorded interviews transcribed verbatim. Three research team members (family medicine physician, qualitative analyst, data scientist) used qualitative content analysis to develop codes and themes. Setting: two Midwestern academic family medicine outpatient centers. Population studied: family medicine clinic providers and staff. Outcome measures: interview guide reviewed experiences talking to male patients about and identification of IPV perpetration, reviewing screening results, referral, intervention, and organizational challenges. Results: 10 family medicine providers (medical director, physicians, psychologist, nurses, social workers) and staff (medical assistants) were interviewed 2020-2021. Providers and staff described few experiences speaking with male patients about IPV but reported knowledge of male IPV through discussion with patients' partners. IPV identification can occur through patient self-read questionnaire or by providers asking questions of patients with at-risk behaviors. Subjects recognized IPV perpetration screening barriers such as trust and patient comfort, and facilitators to screening including electronic medical record prompts and patient portal use. Providers described ways to increase patient use of interventions such as warm referral and virtual visits. Subjects described organizational challenges to IPV perpetration identification and response including limited time and resources, but hypothesized that training could improve implementation. Conclusions: family medicine providers and staff describe various methods to identify and respond to male patient IPV perpetration, including use of a team approach, warm referrals, recognizing patient and provider barriers, and building on continuity relationships already established in primary care.

Intimate partner violence victimization and perpetration as precursors to suicide

It remains unclear how often and under what circumstances intimate partner violence (IPV) precedes suicide. Available research on IPV and suicide focuses largely on homicide-suicide, which is a rare event (<2% of suicides). We focus instead on single suicides (i.e., suicides unconnected to other violent deaths), which are the most common type of fatal violence in the US.Unfortunately, information about IPV circumstances is often unavailable for suicides. To address this gap, we sought to identify the proportion of single suicides that were preceded by IPV in North Carolina (NC), to describe the prevalence of IPV victimization and perpetration as precursors to suicide, and to explore how IPV-related suicides differ from other suicides. We used data from the NC Violent Death Reporting System (2010–2017, n = 9682 single suicides) and hand-reviewed textual data for a subset of cases (n = 2440) to document IPV circumstances.We had robust inter-rater reliability (Kappa: 0.73) and identified n = 439 IPV-related suicides. Most were males who had perpetrated nonfatal IPV (n = 319, 72.7%) prior to dying by suicide. Our findings suggest that IPV was a precursor for at least 4.5% of single suicides.Next, we conducted logistic regression analyses by sex comparing IPV-related suicides to other suicides. For both men and women, IPV was more common when the person who died by suicide had recently disclosed suicidal intent, was younger, used a firearm, and was involved with the criminal legal system, even after controlling for covariates. We also found sex-specific correlates for IPV circumstances in suicide.Combined with homicide-suicide data (reported elsewhere), IPV is likely associated with 6.1% or more of suicides overall. Results suggest clear missed opportunities to intervene for this unique subpopulation, such as suicide screening and referral in IPV settings (e.g., batterer intervention programs, Family Justice Centers) that is tailored by sex.

Dropout among perpetrators of intimate partner violence attending an intervention program

ABSTRACT Batterer intervention programs (BIPs) are some of the most relevant strategies to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). However, the rate of dropout is significantly high, which may impact the effectiveness of such strategies. Literature has identified several factors associated with BIPs’ dropout; nonetheless findings remain inconsistent. Thus, the aims of this study were to analyse the differences between perpetrators who completed the program and those who droped out, in terms of sociodemographic, violence-related and intrapersonal variables, as well as identify the predictors of dropout. Eighty-three IPV perpetrators completed a set of measures that assessed attitudes toward domestic violence, physical and psychological abuse of a partner, aggression, coping skills, and readiness to change. Variables related to past criminal history and sociodemographics were also colletected. 42.2% of IPV perpetrators failed to complete the intervention program. The results revealed that age and previous convictions by other crimes than IPV discriminated perpetrators who completed the program from those who droped out, such that, being young and having a previous conviction predicted dropout. These findings reveal a need to further analyse the impact of these factors so BIPs can be tailored to meet the specificities of IPV perpetrators and prevent treatment dropout.

Multiple Perspectives on How Intimate Partner Violence Surrogate Impact Panels Affect Abusive Partners.

Restorative justice programs, including surrogate impact panels, are increasingly used to address intimate partner violence (IPV) but research has not assessed adequately how panels may affect participating abusive partners. This article reports the perceived impacts of surrogate impact panels on justice-involved individuals (JIIs) who attended a panel as part of their batterer intervention programs (BIPs) using surveys of JIIs (N = 289) and focus groups or interviews with panelist speakers, JIIs, and BIP providers. Findings suggest that JIIs can connect with speakers, reach new understandings of IPV, and express emotional impact/intent to change. The findings can inform decisions to use panels as part of IPV interventions.

State Standards for Batterer Intervention Programs: A Content Analysis.

Batterer intervention programs (BIPs) provide treatment options for domestic violence offenders across the United States with varying degrees of standardization of programs required by law. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current State Standards for Batterer Intervention Programs (SSBIPs) in the United States. The primary research question was to discern the minimum requirements and mandates for BIPs of the 50 states. Results from the content analysis of the 44 states with SSBIPs indicated that there were some commonalities (e.g., approach to offender treatment) among the standards; however, there persisted varied minimum standards within SSBIPs for a majority of elements within BIPs (e.g., intake, screening, and assessment procedures; curriculum; training and educational requirements for BIPs providers and supervisors; and evaluation of the BIP programs). Recommendations and implications are discussed.

Risk Factors and Treatment Needs of Batterer Intervention Program Participants with Substance Abuse Problems

espanolEl objetivo de este estudio fue identificar los principales factores de riesgo y necesidades de tratamiento de los participantes en un programa de intervencion con maltratadores (BIP) con problemas de abuso de alcohol y/o drogas (ADAP), mas alla de sus problemas de abuso de substancias, teniendo en cuenta cuatro conjuntos de variables: sociodemograficas (i.e., edad, nivel educativo, ingresos, empleo y estatus de inmigrante), trastornos de personalidad y ajuste psicologico (i.e., sintomatologia clinica, trastornos de personalidad, ira, impulsividad y autoestima), variables socio-relacionales (i.e., apoyo comunitario, apoyo intimo, eventos vitales estresantes y rechazo social percibido) y variables relacionadas con la violencia (i.e., exposicion a violencia familiar, gravedad percibida de la violencia contra la mujer en las relaciones de pareja, sexismo ambivalente, riesgo de violencia futura, violencia de pareja fisica y psicologica, motivacion al cambio y estadio de cambio). El estudio se baso en una muestra de 1,039 hombres condenados por violencia de genero y remitidos a un programa de intervencion para maltratadores como medida penal alternativa. Los resultados de las comparaciones entre los participantes con y sin ADAP se interpretaron en funcion de los tamanos del efecto para destacar las diferencias mas salientes. Se encontraron diferencias con tamanos del efecto moderados para sintomatologia clinica, rasgo de ira, trastorno de ansiedad, sucesos vitales estresantes, motivacion para el cambio y estadio de cambio. Se encontraron diferencias con tamanos del efecto grandes para impulsividad, trastorno antisocial, de personalidad limite y de agresividad. Se proponen diversas estrategias de intervencion para guiar y ajustar las intervenciones a los factores de riesgo y necesidades de tratamiento de los participantes de los programas de intervencion para maltratadores con ADAP. EnglishThe aim of the present study was to identify the main risk factors and treatment needs of batterer intervention program (BIP) participants with alcohol and drug abuse problems (ADAPs), beyond issues strictly related to their substance abuse, taking into account four sets of variables: sociodemographic (i.e., age, educational level, income, employment, and immigrant status); personality disorders and psychological adjustment (i.e., clinical symptomatology, personality disorders, anger, impulsivity, and self-esteem); social-relational variables (i.e., community support, intimate support, stressful life events, and perceived social rejection); and violence-related variables (i.e., family violence exposure, perceived severity of intimate partner violence against women [IPVAW], ambivalent sexism, risk of future violence, physical and psychological intimate partner violence, motivation to change, and stage of change). The study was based on a sample of 1,039 male IPVAW offenders court-mandated to a community-based BIP. Results from comparisons between BIP participants with and without ADAPs were interpreted in terms of effect sizes to highlight the most salient differences. Differences with moderate effect sizes were found for clinical symptomatology, anger trait, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, stressful life events, motivation to change and stage of change. Differences with large effect sizes were found for impulsivity, antisocial disorder, borderline disorder, and aggressive disorder. Several intervention strategies are proposed to guide and adjust interventions to risk factors and treatment needs of BIP participants with ADAPs.

Male IPV Perpetrators' Self-Reports of Accountability: A Content Analysis of Exit Letters Written by Clients Who Completed a Batterer Intervention Program Between 1990 and 2015

Batterer intervention programs (BIPs) continue to be the primary mode of intervention for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). The extent, however, to which BIPs are effective remains unclear. In particular, studies are needed that can provide detailed information on how accountability is promoted during the BIP process, and if clients leave a BIP with a clear sense of what it means to be responsible for their behaviors. The present study seeks to expand our knowledge of accountability as it is understood in the BIP context through an exploration of clients' written reflections on their experiences with such a program. A random sample of 555 exit letters were collected from a participating BIP in 2015 and analyzed to understand clients' perceptions on accountability. A three-coder iterative approach to analysis, focusing on content and global coding of broad thematic and subthematic categories was used. Our findings show that many clients admitted to the use of some type of abusive behavior as the precipitating factor for their involvement in the BIP, and that additionally, they generally recognized the need to be responsible for their behaviors and the consequences associated with their abuse. However, we also found that an increased emphasis on accountability in BIPs may be warranted. In particular, more research is needed to explore how BIPs promote accountability among their clients, and how individuals who complete a BIP understand and interpret their role in perpetrating abuse.

An Exploratory Study of the Relationship Between Human Service Engagement, Recidivism and Completion of a Batterer Intervention Program

Research on intimate partner violence shows that individuals who employ abusive behaviors also often have other psychosocial health problems (e.g., substance use) that may limit their ability to engage in treatment for abuse. Limited information exists regarding the psychosocial health needs of individuals who perpetrate abuse and how those needs play a role in their ability to follow through and complete an intervention program. Administrative data from one batterer intervention program (BIP) (N = 330), the local Department of Human Services, and court records were used to explore the relationship of service involvement to post-BIP recidivism. We found that over half the sample had engagement with DHS prior to starting the BIP, and general welfare, health and medical assistance, and behavioral health services were the most accessed programs. Additionally, recidivism for any crime was significantly higher among those with prior DHS involvement. Individuals who perpetrate abuse and who have a history of contact with DHS may represent the most vulnerable population with regards to both risk for attrition from a BIP and future recidivism. Future studies should seek to understand best practices for referrals and coordinated care for individuals who perpetrate abuse and ensure access to a broad range of services to help assist in reducing violent behaviors.

Comparing recidivism rates among domestically violent men enrolled in ACTV versus Duluth/CBT.

Objective: The goal of the present study was to replicate and extend published preliminary evidence demonstrating that a relatively new treatment (Achieving Change through Value-Based Behavior [ACTV]) for men convicted of domestic violence significantly reduces recidivism compared to the standard treatment offered across the United States (the Duluth Model and/or cognitive-behavioral approaches). Method: Men convicted of domestic assault (DA) and court-mandated to a Batterers Intervention Program [N = 725; Mage = 34.9 years (SDage = 10.37 years)] were assigned to attend ACTV or treatment-as-usual (TAU). Participants were predominantly Black (63.3%). Recidivism, defined as any new convictions, any violent convictions, and any DA convictions, was examined up to 5 years posttreatment. Only men classified as medium or high risk were included. Results: Men in TAU were more likely to receive any conviction (95% CI [1.61, 4.40]), a violent conviction (95% CI [1.67, 9.60]), and a DA conviction (95% CI [1.36, 4.90]) compared to men in ACTV. Time to new conviction posttreatment was shorter for men in TAU versus ACTV (95% CI [2.16, 4.11]). Finally, the risk of receiving any new conviction (95% CI [1.46, 7.11]) was more strongly associated with noncompletion for TAU than ACTV participants. Conclusions: ACTV shows great promise for reducing recidivism compared to TAU. The present study represents the first time this intervention has been implemented in a state other than where it was developed and provides initial evidence for its generalizability and robustness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Understanding How Relational Health Effects Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration among Low-Income, Black, Indigenous, Men of Color Exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences: An Exploratory Study.

Relational health has emerged as a consistent factor that can mitigate the effects of trauma among children; however, less is known about relational health with adults, particularly related to intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration among racially and socioeconomically marginalized men. The Exploratory Sequential Design, Taxonomy Development Model was used. Semi-structured interviews (N = 11) and narrative analysis were conducted in Phase I. In Phase II, variables approximating the key themes that emerged in Phase I were selected from an existing dataset (N = 67), and relationships were examined using bivariate associations. The sample consisted of low-income Black, Indigenous, men of color (BIMOC) in a batterer intervention program (BIP). Adverse life experiences shaped participants’ world view via mistrust in others, stifling emotions and vulnerability, and a sense of personal guilt and shame. These orientations were then carried into adult relationships where men coped using social isolation to manage challenges, negatively affecting intimate relationships. For some men, mental health exacerbated these circumstances. Significant bivariate and multivariate associations supported this narrative. This study lays the foundation for future research to examine the potential effects of social support on IPV perpetration. BIPs should consider augmenting programming to enhance men’s social networks to support their use of nonviolence after program completion.

Perpetration and Victimization of Emotional Abuse and Controlling Behaviors in a Sample of Batterer Intervention Program’s Participants: An Analysis of Stressors and Risk Factors

The study employs a sample of 584 men and women referred to a multisite BIP and investigates IPV risk factors and stressors. The study also identifies unique risk factors and stressors in association with both IPV perpetration and IPV victimization. The findings show that women in the sample were more likely than men to report IPV victimization but the difference between the two groups is only marginally significant. Criminal thinking shows the most robust findings and is significantly associated with both IPV perpetration and IPV victimization. Mental health problems are consistently associated with both IPV perpetration and IPV victimization. The study’s findings are particularly relevant for the design and implementation of BIP that address participants’ needs based on gender.