NCJ Number
210881
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2005 Pages: 219-233
Date Published
April 2005
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationships among variables of likely importance in the treatment of domestically violent women and explored the problem of treatment drop-out.
Abstract
While there has been a great deal of controversy generated on the subject of female-perpetrated partner aggression over the past 20 years, the research literature is relatively silent about the phenomenon. One of the emerging concerns about domestically violent women is the difficulty in treating this population, with treatment attrition being one of the major obstacles facing intervention programs. The current study examined the relationships among variables deemed important in the treatment of domestic violence, such as referral information, aggression history, legal history, family history, school problems, substance abuse history, mental health problems, and medical problems. Participants were 107 partner aggressive women who presented for anger management treatment; 56 were court mandated to attend while the other 51 were not. Data included written intake reports of the women and interviews. Results of statistical analyses indicated that the women in treatment were socioeconomically disadvantaged and undereducated and had histories of childhood attachment disruptions and victimization, mental health problems, and substance abuse problems. The court mandated participants were more likely to complete treatment while the nonmandated women were more likely to drop out after initial intake. Treatment implications are discussed. Future research should work toward clarifying the relationships among trauma, attachment style, affect regulation processes, and aggression for women. Figure, table, note, references