One Size Does Not Fit All in Treatment of Intimate Partner Violence

Anxiety, Depression, and Comorbid Symptomatology: Different Forms and Severity of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrated by Men Seeking Help

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue associated with numerous deleterious outcomes. Previous studies highlighted the relevance of documenting psychological predictors of IPV to identify prevention strategies. This study examined the links between anxious and depressive symptomatology and perpetrated physical, psychological, and sexual violence among 494 French-Canadian men seeking help for IPV-related difficulties. Differences in the frequency of perpetrated IPV were examined across four groups: (a) no anxious or depressive symptoms reaching a cutoff of high distress, (b) symptoms of anxiety, (c) symptoms of depression, and (d) comorbid symptoms. Results highlighted that men with comorbid symptoms perpetrated significantly more severe violent acts compared to the other groups. This study underscores the importance of targeting the reduction of psychological distress when treating men who perpetrated IPV.

Hormonal differences in perpetrators of intimate partner violence

Objective

In order to gain a better understanding of the individual and joint impact of testosterone and cortisol on behavior, the present study was developed to test the differences in each hormone alone and conjointly between perpetrators of IPV and non-violent controls.

Method

Perpetrators of IPV on probation were compared to a control group of non-aggressive males from Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley on baseline testosterone and cortisol, as well as several relevant questionnaires measuring aggression and trait anger. Differences in cortisol following exposure to a stressful event were also examined. Procedures included two laboratory visits consisting of questionnaires, a number of salivary testosterone and cortisol collections, and exposure to a stressor.

Results

Perpetrators had higher basal testosterone and post stressor cortisol levels than non- violent controls as well as a higher T/C ratio. In addition, trait anger moderated the relationship between both testosterone alone, and the testosterone/cortisol ratio and perpetration of IPV.

Conclusion

Results are consistent with the hypothesis that testosterone leads to antisocial behavior, including perpetration of violence. The results are also consistent with the dual hormone hypothesis, i.e., that testosterone and cortisol work together to jointly regulate social dominance and aggression. Both the increased freestanding testosterone and the increased cortisol following exposure to stress places these men at risk for perpetrating violence. Clinical implications are discussed.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Inviting Men to a Voluntary-Based Domestic Violence Intervention

This study examines the factors motivating domestic violence perpetrators to participate in a voluntary-based intervention program. The experiences and determining factors around men's positive and negative responses to this invitation were examined through semi-structured interviews with professionals, observations, and reflexive notes during the first meeting with 29 men. Two major themes emerged from the thematic analysis: the factors making men more likely to attend the first meeting or resisting the group intervention. These findings can help professionals recognize the challenges of inviting perpetrators to interventions, especially in countries with insufficient laws for mandated domestic violence perpetrator programs. The paper discusses the importance during the first meeting of building rapport and trust and recognizing complex family histories to encourage voluntary attendance and intervention engagement.

A Latent Profile Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrated by Men Seeking Help

Past research has emphasized the need to identify profiles of men who perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV) as a way to better understand this heterogeneous population and guide the development of tailored services. However, empirical validation for such profiles remains limited, since it still focuses on specific populations or fails to consider IPV as reported by men seeking treatment for IPV. We know little about the profiles of men who seek services for their use of IPV (with or without a justice referral). This study sought to identify profiles of men seeking treatment for IPV, based on their self-reported use of the various forms and severity of IPV perpetrated, and to compare the identified groups on key psychosocial risk markers of IPV. A total of 980 Canadian men entering treatment in community organizations specialized in IPV answered a series of questionnaires. A latent profile analysis identified four profiles: (a) "no/minor IPV" (n = 194), (b) "severe IPV with sexual coercion" (n = 122), (c) "minor IPV and control" (n = 471), and (d) "severe IPV without sexual coercion" (n = 193). Results revealed differences in psychosocial risk markers, including attachment insecurities, childhood interpersonal trauma, undesirable personality traits, affect dysregulation, and psychological distress, mostly between the "severe IPV without sexual coercion" profile and the "no/minor IPV" and "minor IPV and control" profiles. Very few differences were found, however, between the "severe IPV with sexual coercion" and "severe IPV without sexual coercion" profiles. Implications for awareness, prevention, and treatment efforts for each profile are discussed.

Improving Policy and Treatment Interventions for Sexual and Gender Minority Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence to Reduce Adverse Health Outcomes

Intimate partner violence (IPV), understood as physical, sexual, and psychological aggression, is a pernicious health problem that is as or more prevalent in sexual and gender minority (SGM) relationships as in heterosexual and cisgender ones. IPV has many impacts, including physical and psychological health consequences. Effective treatment of abusers is needed to reduce IPV in SGM communities. Yet IPV in SGM relationships is understudied, making it difficult to determine whether current treatment, designed for people who identify as cisgender and heterosexual, is effective for SGM IPV abusers. This perspective identifies policy barriers to and recommendations for improving IPV perpetrator treatment for SGM individuals.

Assessing States' Intimate Partner Violence Offender Treatment Standards using a Principles of Effective Intervention Framework

Court-ordered treatment programs are a widely used response to intimate partner violence (IPV) and many states have developed standards to guide programs. The current study provides an update to Maiuro and Eberle's. (2008) review of states' standards and extends the literature by using the principles of effective intervention (PEIs; i.e., risk, need, responsivity, treatment, and fidelity) as an organizational framework to examine standards. Findings showed that 84% of states had standards in 2020, compared to 88% in 2007, and extensive changes both within and across states' standards had occurred. Regarding the PEIs, in line with the risk principle most states mandated the use of risk assessments; inconsistent with the needs principle, few states used these assessments to classify clients into risk levels or inform individualized treatment. The majority of standards addressed the treatment principle by outlining a required structure and duration, but few attended to responsivity factors (e.g., identifying treatment modalities, attending to specific client factors). Regarding the fidelity principle, most standards outlined education or training requirements for staff and required periodic program reviews or audits, but few standards were evidenced-based and only about half required that programs collect data to measure effectiveness. Taken together, findings suggest that standards have continued to evolve and that the integration of PEIs into IPV treatment is only just beginning. Standards provide a rich opportunity for future researcher-practitioner partnerships in the field of IPV intervention.

Differential Profile of Specialist Aggressor versus Generalist Aggressor in Child-to-Parent Violence

Research on violence in general highlights the need to differentiate between those aggressors who only show specialized violence in the family context and those who also show generalized violence in other contexts outside the family. However, in the phenomenon of child-to-parent violence (CPV), the distinctive characteristics of this profile have not been yet analyzed. The aim of this study was to identify the typology of specialist aggressor versus the typology of generalist aggressor and examine whether they differ in their characteristics. A total of 1559 CPV aggressors participated, with ages between 12 and 18 years, of whom 22.4% exerted violence only towards parents (specialist aggressors) and 77.6% also exerted violence towards peers (generalist aggressors). The results show that specialized violence and generalized violence seem to follow different patterns according to age. The generalists were characterized by a more negative profile than the specialists. Specifically, the former showed more CPV and for more reasons, both reactive and proactive. Regarding individual characteristics, they obtained lower levels of emotional intelligence and resilience. Concerning family characteristics, they presented higher levels of insecure parental attachment and parental violence (direct and observed). The predictive variables retained in the regression model represented approximately 16.4% of the variation in the type of aggressor. This study supports the classification based on the specificity versus generality of violence, as it was found that specialist and generalist CPV aggressors differ significantly in their characteristics. It is considered that the findings could help to identify the differential mechanisms through which both types of aggressors have developed CPV. Further analysis of this profile can be of great use for the design of intervention and prevention programs adapted to the needs of each typology.

General Criminality as a Marker of Heterogeneity in Domestically Violent Men: Differences in Trauma History, Psychopathology, Neurocognitive Functioning, and Psychophysiology

This study examined whether involvement in general criminal behavior was a useful marker of critical historic, psychological, and cognitive aspects of heterogeneity in domestically violent men. Two subgroups of domestically violent men, those with (n = 56) and without (n = 54) a history of criminal involvement, were compared with a group of nonviolent men (n = 82) on internalizing psychopathology, substance abuse, maltreatment in the family of origin, cognitive and executive functioning, and psychophysiological factors. Results found that domestically violent criminal men scored higher than the other two groups on a number of measures including history of childhood violence exposure, childhood externalizing behavior, and adult internalizing psychopathology. No differences were found on their psychophysiological reactivity and cognitive performance. The domestically violent noncriminal group and the comparison group were largely similar on study variables with the exception of education and substance use. Results suggest that general theories of antisocial behavior may be relevant and helpful for understanding domestically violent and criminally involved batterers, whereas social and family violence theories may be of greater relevance to noncriminally involved batterers. Implications of these results for intervention are considered.

Changes in Violence and Clinical Distress Among Men in Individual Psychotherapy for Violence Against Their Female Partner: An Explorative Study

Most interventions for men who have acted violently toward their partner have been conducted as group interventions within a criminal justice context. Therefore, few studies have examined individual psychotherapy and how such interventions may reduce partner violence. In this study, we aimed to describe changes in violence, and changes in clinical distress in men undergoing individual psychotherapy targeting their use of partner violence, at a clinic organized within a psychosocial health care context. This is a naturalistic prospective study of men voluntarily receiving individual psychotherapy for their use of violence against their female partner. Participants were 84 male clients, and data on their use of physical violence, physical controlling violence, property violence and psychological violence were collected pretreatment, posttreatment and at follow-up 1.5 years after treatment from both the men, and their partners (n = 58). The percentage of use of all types of violence during a typical month the last year decreased from pretreatment to follow-up, according to both the men, and their partners. Over the course of treatment, use of all types of self-reported violence during the last month was reduced, however, this was only partially confirmed by their partners. Number of sessions was associated with a lower risk of having used physical and physically controlling violence 1.5 years after treatment. Alcohol abuse or dependency, or qualifying for one or more psychiatric diagnoses, were not associated with levels or change in use of violence. On average, the men's clinical distress declined over the course of psychotherapy. The findings suggest that individual psychotherapy may be a promising and worthwhile intervention for intimate partner violence. Studies with more elaborate designs are needed to identify the core mechanisms of psychotherapy for violence, and to corroborate these results with higher levels of evidence.

Attachment, Emotion Dysregulation, and Physical IPV in Predominantly Hispanic, Young Adult Couples

Insecure attachment has been found to be a risk factor for perpetrating physical intimate partner violence (IPV). However, this association is likely exacerbated by additional factors, such as conflicting insecure attachment in one’s partner and difficulties with overall emotion regulation and impulse control. The present study aimed to examine the associations between insecure attachment and physical IPV perpetration in male and female partners, as well as to examine whether these associations are exacerbated by involvement with a partner with opposing attachment needs and overall emotion dysregulation and impulsivity. Additionally, this study examined whether partners’ emotion dysregulation interacted to predict IPV. Two hundred eight heterosexual couples primarily recruited from a Hispanic-serving university completed questionnaires on attachment, emotion dysregulation, and one’s own and one’s partner’s perpetration. Results revealed that attachment anxiety, impulsivity, and an interaction effect between attachment avoidance and partner’s attachment anxiety were associated with self-reported, but not partner-reported, male perpetration. For females, attachment anxiety was associated with female IPV (self-reported and partner-reported), and impulsivity was associated with self-reported female IPV. Overall, results underscore how relationships between known risk factors and IPV perpetration may differ depending on if IPV perpetration is measured using self-reported or partner-reported data. Additional results and implications are discussed.

Psychological Intimate Partner Violence and Childhood Cumulative Trauma: The Mediating Role of Affect Dysregulation, Maladaptive Personality Traits, and Negative Urgency

The current study examined the mediating role of affect dysregulation, maladaptive personality traits, and negative urgency in the association between childhood cumulative trauma (CCT) and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV). A total of 241 men and women from the general population answered self-report questionnaires assessing these variables. Results indicated that 70% of participants reported at least two different types of childhood trauma, while, over the past year, 80% indicated having perpetrated or experienced psychological IPV. Path analyses of a sequential mediation model confirmed that the CCT-IPV association is explained by affect dysregulation, maladaptive personality traits, and negative urgency. These findings support the need to assess affect regulation and personality traits in CCT survivors. Psychosocial interventions should aim to increase self-soothing skills and decrease negative urgency to prevent psychological IPV.

How domestically violent Fathers impact children's social-emotional development: Fathers' psychological functioning, parenting, and coparenting

BACKGROUND

Most children exposed to father-perpetrated domestic violence (DV) continue to have contact or live with fathers, yet there is little research on the impact of fathering in the context of domestic violence.

OBJECTIVE

This paper aimed to identify pathways from children's exposure to father-perpetrated DV to compromised social-emotional outcomes. Based on extant literature on fathering and domestic violence, psychological, parenting, and coparenting features in DV fathers were identified as potential mediators of the relationship between child exposure to DV and their social-emotional outcomes.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Participants were 123 fathers with confirmed histories of DV perpetration and 101 comparison fathers without such histories.

METHODS

Fathers completed self-report measures during two assessment sessions held at the university. Simple mediation analyses were used to examine pathways between fathers' DV perpetration and child internalizing and externalizing difficulties through potential mediators.

RESULTS

Paternal depression, hostility, and coparenting difficulties significantly mediated the relationship between child exposure to DV and child internalizing and externalizing difficulties. Low paternal warmth was associated with child externalizing difficulties but did not function as a mediator. Paternal over-reactivity and laxness, in contrast, were not significantly correlated with DV perpetration or with child internalizing or externalizing outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that fathers' emotion regulation and coparenting difficulties are important correlates of his DV perpetration and of their children's psychological symptoms and should be considered as potential foci for parenting intervention with this population.

The Impact of Perpetrator Characteristics on the Completion of a Partner Abuse Intervention Program

This study examined how type of perpetrator (family only [FO] vs. generally violent [GV]), readiness to change, and stake in conformity function separately and together in predicting completion of a partner abuse intervention program (PAIP). Data were collected from 192 male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) who were court mandated to attend a PAIP. Participants were categorized as FO violent or GV based on a combination of their self-report and official records of violence. Stake in conformity has been defined as the degree to which an individual is invested in the values and institutions of a society. A composite stake in conformity score was computed for each participant based on his education level, and marital and employment status. Each participant was also assigned a stage of change score based on his responses on a validated measure of stage of change for domestic violence perpetrators. Analyses indicated that stage of change was not related to program completion or attendance. Type of perpetrator and stake in conformity composite score were significantly related to program completion. Perpetrators with higher stake in conformity scores and individuals categorized as FO attended more PAIP sessions and were more likely to complete the program. When both predictors were examined together, only stake in conformity composite score uniquely predicted program attendance and completion. These findings provide additional evidence that subtype of IPV perpetrator has implications for treatment responsiveness and provide preliminary evidence for the value of improved measurement of investment in societal institutions.

Is All Dating Violence Equal? Gender and Severity Differences in Predictors of Perpetration

The present study assesses the extent of perpetration of physical violence in predominately Hispanic high school students in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. The relationship between adverse childhood experiences, exposure to interparental violence, attachment, emotion regulation, and impulsivity on two distinct, mutually exclusive, categories of severity of physical teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration is further explored. Participants completed self-report measures as part of a larger, anonymous web-based questionnaire. Two categories (i.e., minor/moderate and severe) were created to discern the contextual variables associated with different levels of severity of physical violence perpetration by males and females. Eight-hundred and twenty-nine 14- to 18-year-old adolescents from four different high schools participated in the study, of whom 407 reported having been in a dating relationship in the last 12 months. The results demonstrate that when only the most severe item of TDV is taken into consideration, the rates of violence perpetration by males and females are almost equal and remarkably lower than those reported in the literature. However, when the assessment includes minor/moderate levels of violence, such as pushing, the rates of violence perpetration by females are twice those of males and are consistent with those reported in the literature. Furthermore, different variables are associated with different levels of severity of violence perpetration. The results support approaches that emphasize the need to take the context of the violence into consideration, since all levels are not equal. The need to take the severity of violence into account in studies assessing dating violence is highlighted.

Family-Only Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review

This article presents the first systematic review of family-only intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators (as originally proposed by Holtzworth-Munroe & Stuart). The aims of the present review were to summarize and describe the prevalence of the family-only perpetrator subtype, as well as to investigate what characteristics were associated with perpetrators within this subtype. Electronic literature searches in several databases (e.g., PsychINFO, Web of Science, and PubMed) were carried out. Of the 3,434 studies identified, 30 studies met the inclusion criteria as well as the methodological quality criteria. Thematic analyses were conducted, where several themes and subthemes were identified. The proportion of family-only perpetrators, averaged across sample types, was 47.5%. Drawing on the thematic analyses of the reviewed studies, family-only perpetrators presented as a less violent subtype, displaying several pro-social personality traits, as well as a lower degree of psychopathology. The findings were in line with Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart's predictions. The findings also demonstrated the utility of a 2-fold typology, consisting of a family-only and a generally violent (GV) subtype, as well as the need to reconsider the one-size-fits-all approach to IPV treatment. We also included a discussion of the terminology of the subtypes and propose an adoption of the terms "partner only violent" and "generally violent" subtypes.

The Relation Between Contempt, Anger, and Intimate Partner Violence: A Dyadic Approach

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a persistent problem in our society, and there is strong evidence for the existence of bidirectional violence in heterosexual romantic relationships. Couples' research has long focused on conflict and distressed communication patterns as a source of relationship distress and eventual dissolution. In addition to relationship dissatisfaction, dysfunctional communication also appears to be associated with elevated risk of IPV. In fact, one study found that communication difficulties were one of the most frequently self-reported motivations for committing partner violence in a sample of both males and females arrested for IPV. The current study sought to explore the association between the expression of distressed communication (contempt and anger) during a laboratory conflict discussion and reports of IPV perpetration using a dyadic data analysis method, the Actor Partner Interdependence Model, in a large ethnically diverse sample of heterosexual couples. We found that negative communication in the form of contempt was not only associated with one's own physical assault perpetration, but it was also associated with physical assault perpetration of the other partner. In contrast, anger was only associated with one's own physical assault perpetration. Therefore, our results highlight the potential efficacy of treatments for IPV that target negative communication patterns and affect.

Human Services Utilization Among Male IPV Perpetrators: Relationship to Timing and Completion of Batterer Intervention Programs

Limited information exists on the extent to which male perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) are engaged in the use of human services for co-occuringpsychosocial and health issues. The current analysis uses administrative data from one batterer intervention program (BIP) and data from the local Department of Human Services to explore perpetrators' engagement with human services, and the relationship of that use to timing and completion of the BIP. Data for 330 adult male clients referred to the participating BIP from 2010 to 2015 were collected. A majority (63%) had engaged in at least one human service program. The most common kind of service was mental health (46%). The most specific service engagement was child welfare as a parent (41%). Engagement largely concluded prior to beginning the BIP. BIP completers had less service use overall. Future work should explore how these services could be utilized to improve the success of BIPs and reduce perpetration.

Treatment impact on recidivism of family only vs. generally violent partner violence perpetrators

Background/Objective

The outcome of a treatment program for a large sample of male perpetrators on probation for intimate partner violence (IPV) was evaluated with particular reference to the differential impact on family only (FO) versus generally violent (GV) perpetrators.

Method

Official rates of recidivism for three years post termination of treatment and probation were examined for 456 perpetrators after they were classified as FO and GV.

Results

Both treatment completion and type of perpetrator were predictive of IPV recidivism and time to recidivism. However, analyses conducted separately for the two groups indicated that participation in the intervention predicted both recidivism and time to recidivism for the GV but not FO perpetrators who participated in treatment. Specifically, GV men were responsive to treatment whereas FO men were not. Results were somewhat different depending on who was included in the no treatment comparison group.

Conclusions

Implications of these findings for one size fits all interventions in IPV are discussed with specific reference to the need to develop different interventions for GV and FO perpetrators.

A Preliminary Examination of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Program for Incarcerated Domestic Violence Offenders

Batterers intervention programs (BIPs) have only a marginal impact on domestic violence (DV) recidivism, in part because treatment attrition is high. The current study evaluates a new BIP based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (called ACTV, Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior) in a sample of incarcerated DV offenders who failed to complete community-based BIP (N = 23). The current study examined participants' risk factors and assessed criminal justice outcomes in the 1 year following treatment completion. The men exhibited high levels of experiential avoidance, adverse childhood experiences, psychopathy, and attachment when compared to clinical and forensic samples from past research. Consistent with the theory underlying ACTV, experiential avoidance decreased significantly over the course of treatment. In addition, 1 out of 22 (4.5%) had a domestic assault charge in the 1-year follow-up period. Overall, the current study offers preliminary support for the use of ACTV with noncompliant, incarcerated offenders.

Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparison of Antisocial and Family-Only Perpetrators

Subtyping male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) based on their generality of violence could facilitate the difficult task of matching perpetrator subtype with efficient risk management strategies. As such, the aim of the present study was to compare antisocial and family-only male perpetrators of interpersonal violence in terms of (a) demographic and legal characteristics, (b) risk factors for violence, and (c) assessed risk and the importance of specific risk factors for violence. A quantitative design was used in this retrospective register study on data obtained from the Swedish police. Risk assessments performed with the Swedish version of the Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk (B-SAFER) and police registers were used. A sample of 657 male alleged IPV perpetrators were classified as antisocial ( n = 341) or family-only ( n = 316) based on their generality of violence. The results showed that the antisocial perpetrators were significantly younger, as well as more psychologically abusive. Antisocial perpetrators also had significantly more present risk factors for IPV, and were assessed with a significantly higher risk for acute and severe or deadly IPV, compared with the family-only perpetrators. The subtypes also evidenced unique risk factors with a significant impact on elevated risk for acute and severe or deadly such violence. Key findings in the present study concerned the subtypes evidencing unique risk factors increasing the risk for acute and severe or deadly IPV. Major implications of this study include the findings of such unique "red flag" risk factors for each subtype. To prevent future IPV, it is vital for the risk assessor to be aware of these red flags when making decisions about risk, as well as risk management strategies.

Clinical and Personality Disorders in a Danish Treatment-Seeking Sample of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health concern with profound psychological consequences. Perpetrators often have a history of childhood trauma and a range of co-occurring psychiatric problems, which may have implications for treatment. This study examines the prevalence of psychiatric and personality disorders (PD) among perpetrators and the association between a range of demographic, childhood trauma, and adult criminality variables for the most prominent disorders. Data were collected from IPV perpetrators ( n = 529) engaging in a treatment program, ' Dialogue Against Violence'. High rates of childhood trauma were observed. There was significant variation in the prevalence of clinical disorders and PDs, with Antisocial PD and Anxiety Disorder being the most common. A clinical disorder was the strongest predictor of PDs, likewise a PD was the strongest predictor of clinical disorders. Findings demonstrated that IPV perpetrators have a number of personality and clinical disorders and traumatic histories that need to be considered within a treatment perspective.

Integrated treatment options for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence

ISSUES

Male-to-female intimate partner violence remains a worldwide public health issue with adverse physical and psychological consequences for victims, perpetrators and children. Personality disorders, addiction, trauma and mood symptoms are established risk factors for intimate partner violence perpetration and factor prominently into a recovery-oriented treatment approach.

APPROACH

We reviewed the partner violence literature for detailed reports of traditional as well as innovative, integrated treatment approaches. Empirically based recommendations for intervention programs and the policies that guide intervention efforts are offered.

KEY FINDINGS

Nascent research suggests that integrated treatment models utilising a holistic approach to account for psychological comorbidity and interventions that involve a motivational interviewing component appear promising in terms of significantly improving intimate partner violence treatment compliance and reducing subsequent acts of physical partner violence. Further, methodologically rigorous research is required to fully assess the benefits of traditional and integrated treatment options.

IMPLICATIONS

We have advanced several recommendations, including the development of and exclusive reliance upon empirically supported treatments, conducting a thorough risk and needs assessment of the offender and the immediate family to facilitate appropriate treatment referrals, integrating content to foster the offender's internal motivation to change maladaptive behaviours, and attempting to minimise offender treatment burdens through the strategic use of integrated treatment models.

CONCLUSIONS

Intimate partner violence is a complicated and nuanced problem that is perpetrated by a heterogeneous population and requires greater variability in integrated treatment options. [Crane CA, Easton CJ. Integrated treatment options for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:24-33].

All Elder Abuse Perpetrators Are Not Alike: The Heterogeneity of Elder Abuse Perpetrators and Implications for Intervention

The tendency to label all elder abuse perpetrators as the "bad guys" has diminished our ability to respond effectively. A review of the literature demonstrates that elder abuse perpetrators are in fact heterogeneous with important differences across types of abuse. A reformulation of perpetrator interventions away from a singular emphasis on prosecution to meaningful alternatives that utilize criminal justice and/or therapeutic approaches tailored to the needs of the case is needed. These interventions must incorporate the needs of both victims and perpetrators, take into consideration the type of abuse involved, acknowledge the variations in perpetrator culpability, and recognize the continuum of complexity among these cases. Without addressing these nuances, intervention and prevention efforts will be futile if not harmful.

Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programs: A Proposal for Evidence-Based Standards in the United States

In the United States, the judicial system response to violence between intimate partners, or intimate partner violence (IPV), typically mandates that adjudicated perpetrators complete a batterer intervention program (BIP). The social science data has found that these programs, on the whole, are only minimally effective in reducing rates of IPV. The authors examined the social science literature on the characteristics and efficacy of BIPs. More than 400 studies were considered, including a sweeping, recently conducted survey of BIP directors across the United States and Canada. Results of this review indicate that the limitations of BIPs are due, in large part, to the limitations of current state standards regulating these programs and, furthermore, that these standards are not grounded in the body of empirical research evidence or best practices. The authors, all of whom have considerable expertise in the area of domestic violence perpetrator treatment, conducted an exhaustive investigation of the following key intervention areas: overall effectiveness of BIPs; length of treatment/length of group sessions; number of group participants and number of facilitators; group format and curriculum; assessment protocol and instruments; victim contact; modality of treatment; differential treatment; working with female perpetrators; working with perpetrators in racial and ethnic minority groups; working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) perpetrators; perpetrator treatment and practitioner–client relationships; and required practitioner education and training. Recommendations for evidence-based national BIP standards were made based on findings from this review.

Subtypes of batterers in treatment: empirical support for a distinction between type I, type II and type III

This study explores the existence of different types of batterers in a sample of 266 men who had been court referred for intimate partner violence. The data collected in the assessment that have been used to perform a hierarchical and a two-step cluster analysis fall into three areas: aggression towards the partner, general aggression and presence of psychopathology and personality traits, more specifically, alcohol use, borderline and antisocial personality traits, psychopathy traits, state anger and trait anger, anger expression and control, anger, hostility, and, finally, impulsivity. The results show a typology consisting of 3 types of batterers on the basis of violence level and psychopathology: low (65%), moderate (27.8%) and high (7.1%). This study provides empirical support for the development of batterer typologies. These typologies will help achieve early detection of different types of batterers, allowing us to tailor interventions on the basis of the needs of each of the types.