Neuropsychological Performance, Substance Misuse, and Recidivism in Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators

Integrated Motivational Strategies for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators with Substance Use: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators with alcohol and/or other drug use problems (ADUPs) have been identified as one of the main high-risk and highly resistant groups of perpetrators requiring special attention in intervention programs for IPV perpetrators. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to evaluate whether an individualized motivational plan adjusted to ADUPs (IMP-ADUPs) was superior to standard motivational strategies (IMP) in reducing ADUPs, and IPV and increasing treatment adherence in IPV perpetrators. Method: Data from a full sample of IPV perpetrators (n = 140) and a subsample of participants with ADUPs (n = 55) were collected at pre- and post-intervention and 12-month follow-up. Final outcomes included alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis use, self-reported IPV, risk of recidivism assessed by facilitators, and official IPV recidivism. Proximal outcomes included treatment adherence (stage of change, intervention dose, active participation, and dropout). Results: Both intent-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses were conducted. The IMP-ADUPs condition was superior to the IMP in reducing alcohol use at post-intervention in both the full sample and ADUPs subsample. The full sample of participants in the IMP-ADUPs condition were in a more advanced stage of change post-intervention and showed increased active participation during the intervention process than IMP participants. All participants were in a more advanced stage of change at post-intervention and reduced their alcohol use and their risk of recidivism at post-intervention and 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: These results underscore the need to develop individualized treatment approaches to address participants' risks and needs and promote their motivation to change.

substance use and recidivism of intimate partner violence in Peru: A cross-sectional study

Background

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) carries significant global burden, with approximately 27% of women who have ever had a partner experiencing IPV. Additionally, substance use (alcohol and drugs) is often associated with aggressive attitudes and serves as a risk factor for IPV.

Objective

Determine the association between substance use and the recurrence of IPV in the Peruvian population in 2022.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using public data from the Ministry of Women, employing regression based on generalized linear models to calculate crude and adjusted Odds Ratios.

Results

A total of 65,290 cases of IPV were analyzed, the results revealed that 93.70% of the reports were cases of recidivism. A relationship was identified between substance use and IPV, with an Odds Ratio of 2.24 for the perpetrator's alcohol consumption and an Odds Ratio of 2.33 for drug use.

Conclusion

Based on these findings, it can be concluded that a relationship exists between substance use and IPV, and national strategies should incorporate proper monitoring after the initial report of violence, as well as effective control of substance use among perpetrators.

The role of intimate partner violence perpetrators' resting state functional connectivity in treatment compliance and recidivism

To expand the scientific literature on how resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (or the measurement of the strength of the coactivation of two brain regions over a sustained period of time) can be used to explain treatment compliance and recidivism among intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators. Therefore, our first aim was to assess whether men convicted of IPV (n = 53) presented different rsFC patterns from a control group of non-violent (n = 47) men. We also analyzed if the rsFC of IPV perpetrators before staring the intervention program could explain treatment compliance and recidivism one year after the intervention ended. The rsFC was measured by applying a whole brain analysis during a resting period, which lasted 45 min. IPV perpetrators showed higher rsFC in the occipital brain areas compared to controls. Furthermore, there was a positive association between the occipital pole (OP) and temporal lobes (ITG) and a negative association between the occipital (e.g., occipital fusiform gyrus, visual network) and both the parietal lobe regions (e.g., supramarginal gyrus, parietal operculum cortex, lingual gyrus) and the putamen in IPV perpetrators. This pattern was the opposite in the control group. The positive association between many of these occipital regions and the parietal, frontal, and temporal regions explained treatment compliance. Conversely, treatment compliance was also explained by a reduced rsFC between the rostral prefrontal cortex and the frontal gyrus and both the occipital and temporal gyrus, and between the temporal and the occipital and cerebellum areas and the sensorimotor superior networks. Last, the enhanced rsFC between the occipital regions and both the cerebellum and temporal gyrus predicted recidivism. Our results highlight that there are specific rsFC patterns that can distinguish IPV perpetrators from controls. These rsFC patterns could be useful to explain treatment compliance and recidivism among IPV perpetrators.

Self-Determined Goals of Male Participants Attending an Intervention Program for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators: A Thematic Analysis

Treatment adherence and motivation to change are among the main challenges in intervention programs for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) perpetrators. Motivational strategies have shown promising results in increasing the effectiveness of intervention programs for IPV perpetrators. One of these motivational strategies is goal setting. The aim of this study was to analyze and categorize the self-determined goals (n = 204) of 227 male participants attending an intervention program for IPV perpetrators. Findings of the thematic analysis suggested three levels of analysis: 4 core categories, 12 categories, and 35 codes. The four core categories were "interpersonal relationships" (39.7%), "personal resources for daily life" (29.3%), "coping strategies" (27.8%), and "motivation to change" (3.2%). Identifying the main categories of self-determined goals of IPV perpetrators could guide professionals to tailor the intervention to participants' specific needs and implement evidence-based strategies to strengthen goal attainment and improve treatment outcomes.

Reduced vagal tone in intimate partner violence perpetrators is partly explained by anger rumination

Polyvagal theory proposed that an autonomous nervous system imbalance might be characteristic of violent individuals, especially reduced parasympathetic or vagal tone. Accordingly, some studies concluded that when intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators deal with acute stress, they tend to present a sympathetic predominance over the parasympathetic nervous system once the stress has ended. However, less is known about cognitive mechanisms that explain this phenomenon. In fact, this functioning might be explained by inner speech and/or angry thoughts (anger rumination) in reactive aggressors. Nonetheless, there is a gap in the scientific literature assessing whether this psychophysiological functioning in IPV perpetrators is explained by anger rumination. For this reason, the first aim of this study was to assess the cardiorespiratory (heart rate (HR), pre-ejection period (PEP), and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)) and electrodermal (skin conductance level (SCL)) changes, as well as the anger state, when coping with an acute laboratory stressor, comparing a group of reactive IPV perpetrators (n = 47) and a group of non-violent men (n = 36). The second aim was two-fold. After checking whether the groups differed on their anger rumination and manifestation of aggression (reactive and/or proactive) scores, we studied whether these variables explained psychophysiological and psychological responses to a laboratory task (changes and levels during the recovery period) in each group. Our results demonstrated that, compared to the control group, IPV perpetrators presented lower RSA levels (vagal tone). Even though the groups did not differ on their anger rumination or manifestation of aggression scores (except for proactive aggression), only in the IPV perpetrators, high anger rumination and reactive aggression partly explained the lower vagal tone (RSA levels) and high levels of anger state at post-task. Consequently, this study contributes to understanding the psychobiological basis for violence proneness in IPV perpetrators, making it possible to explore new therapeutic strategies.