Twenty-Five Years of Change in Working with Partner Abusers--Part II: Observations From the Trenches About Changes in Understanding of Abusers and Abuser Treatment

• NCJ Number: 224324
• Journal: Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: 2008 Pages: 1-22
• Author(s): L. Kevin Hamberger
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 22 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reviews key developments in the field pf intimate partnet violence (IPV), with a focus on research that has increased an nderstanding of batterer characteristics and effective interventions that target them.

Abstract

Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart (1994) published a review of batterer typology research and concluded that there are three primary batterer types: borderline/dysphoric, antisocial/generally violent, and family-only offenders. Theory-based research has connected batterer subtypes to developmental experiences such as attachment styles, family-of-origin abuse, association with deviant peer groups, and behavioral factors such as generality of violence and trouble with the law. Other researchers have contributed to a greater understanding of each of the two primary psychopathological types of batterers: borderline/dysphoric and antisocial/generally violent. Men with borderline personality organization not only experienced more abuse in their families of origin, but experienced more parental rejection and shaming experiences and exhibited anxious and preoccupied attachment styles. Another area of batterer research that has been fruitful has gone beyond psychological assessment to the assessment of actual behavior and cognitions, and other research has begun to examine the neuropsychological correlates of battering. Another field of research on batterer characteristics has focused on male and female use of IPV. A number of consistent findings had been reported across research studies. For both men and women batterers, the study links early problem behaviors, conduct disorder, and delinquent behavior, along with harsh parental punishment and family aversive communication. Regarding treatment for batterers, there has been no demonstration of treatment effectiveness, particularly compared to non-treatment controls; however, considerable progress is being made in the development of the most effective and appropriate research model to use when evaluating treatment effectiveness. In addition there has been a refinement of treatment models that takes into account the varied clinical needs of batterers. 99 references