Psychological and Demographic Predictors of Treatment Attrition Among Women Assaulters

• NCJ Number: 205878
• Journal: Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 38 Issue: 4 Dated: 2004 Pages: 7-25
• Author(s): Michelle M. Carney; Frederick P. Buttell
• Date Published: 2004
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined differences in demographic variables and psychological variables between treatment completers and dropouts among abusive women in a treatment program for perpetrators of domestic violence, and it developed a predictive model for identifying women at greatest risk of dropping out of the program.

Abstract

The study conducted a secondary analysis of data collected by the Domestic Abuse Center, a nonprofit agency in Columbia, SC, that has been providing counseling services since 1982 to individuals ordered by the courts into treatment. At the intake interview, clients are required to complete a demographic questionnaire and four psychological instruments. Information obtained is used to make a pretreatment assessment of the individual. The agency has been using this combination of assessment tools since August 1999. Since that time, the courts have referred 139 women to the 16-week program. The sample for the current study included all 16-week treatment completers (n=26) and a random sample of 26 drop-outs. Within this sample, 65 percent were referred following an arrest for domestic violence. The intervention program is cognitive-behavioral and is consistent in organization and focus with these types of programs described in the literature. The intervention program is similar to the national model in that it was designed for male batterers. Attention is given to anger management and skills development. The analysis found that very few of the demographic and psychological variables differentiated the treatment completers from the dropouts; however, a logistic regression model was developed to correctly predict treatment completion for 76 percent of the sample. For each unit increase in marital status (married compared to not married), the odds of treatment completion decreased by a factor of .246, when all other independent variables were held constant. Similarly, the odds of treatment completion decreased for women who volunteered to be in the program. Study limitations are discussed. 3 tables and 42 references