A Multidimensional Assessment of a Batterer Treatment Program: an Alert to a Problem?

Abstract

This study’s goals were to (a) evaluate a batterer intervention program by investigating changes in psychological variables related to abuse (i.e., truthfulness, violence, lethality, control, substance use, and coping abilities) between pretreatment and posttreatment assessments of men involuntarily placed in treatment and (b) investigate the differential effectiveness of this same program for African American and Caucasian batterers. Arrest records were also evaluated 12 months following treatment completion to determine the association between changes on these psychological variables and recidivism. The study employed a secondary analysis of 76 treatment completers randomly selected from a larger pool of 184 men. Analysis failed to provide empirical support for the contention that both African American and Caucasian batterers would demonstrate significant changes in the desired direction on psychological variables related to violence as a result of participation in a treatment program. Implications of the findings for social workers were discussed.