The Pursuit of Research-supported Treatment in Batterer Intervention: The Role of Professional Licensure and Theoretical Orientation for Duluth and CBT Programs

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to understand the importance of research-supported practice for batterer intervention programs.

Methods

This study applied descriptive statistics and chi-square analyses to a novel dataset from the Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment Survey (N = 411). This was a 69-item survey developed by domestic violence providers and researchers to understand the role of research-supported practice in the treatment of intimate partner violence (IPV).

Results

This study found statistically significant differences between Duluth oriented programs and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) oriented programs with respect to the importance of research-supported practices and motivational interviewing, a strategy found effective in treatment of IPV by extant research.

Discussion

There appears to have been an evolution among practitioners toward more eclecticism, and an acknowledgment that programs should be research-supported.

Conclusion

Implications of this study for education and treatment are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Research-supported practice
• batterer intervention
• IPV perpetrator treatment
• Duluth Model
• CBT