Anger Disturbances Among Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

In the present study, the authors clustered a pretreatment sample of 190 perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) mandated to attend group counseling based on State–Trait Anger Expression Inventory scores and examined whether these profiles were associated with differential outcomes 1 year postadjudication. Cluster analysis revealed 3 groups: (a) high anger–expressive (HA-E, n = 56), (b) moderate anger–inexpressive (MA-IE; n = 13), and (c) low anger (LA; n = 118). HA-E men perpetrated more IPV, reported experiencing and witnessing more abuse during childhood, scored higher on psychopathology measures, and reported more substance problems. HA-E and MA-IE males had higher program attrition and rearrest rates; MA-IE males were more likely to be arrested for assault-related offenses. Thus, although the majority of partner-abusive men do not present with anger-related disturbances, the presence of anger problems may be a marker for an array of traits that may complicate the treatment process.