Racial Differences in Treatment Effect among Men in a Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence Program

Abstract

Background: It isunclear whether racial differences in treatment effect exist for individuals in substance abuse and domestic violence programs. Objectives: This study examined racial differences in treatment effect among substance dependent Caucasian and African-American male intimate partner violence (IPV) offenders court mandated to an integrated substance abuse and domestic violence treatment. Methods: From baseline to completion of treatment (week 12), 75 participants (39 Caucasian; 36 African-American) were assessed on demographics, substance use, legal characteristics, and use of violence (physical, verbal, and psychological). Results: African-American men served more months incarcerated in their life than Caucasian men. Both groups showed decreases in their use of physical violence and alcohol abuse over treatment. Caucasian men also showed a decrease in their use of verbal abuse. Conclusions and Scientific Significance: At treatment completion, both groups showed a reduction in physical abuse and alcohol abuse. Caucasian men showed a reduction in their use of verbal abuse, but African-American men did not. Substance dependent African-American male IPV offenders may benefit from interventions that thoroughly target communication skills in addition to issues of substance abuse and IPV to reduce use of verbal abuse and improve treatment outcomes among African American men.

Keywords:

• domestic violence
• intimate partner violence
• racial differences
• substance abuse

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants T32-DA007238, P50-DA009241, R01DA018284, K12DA00167–11, and from the Donaghue Foundation DF#0026. We acknowledge the contributions of State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. The authors would like to thank Brent Moore, Ph.D., for offering assistance in answering statistical analysis questions. The authors would also like to thank two anonymous reviewers of this journal who provided helpful comments to improve the manuscript.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.