Resistance among domestic violence offenders: measurement development and initial validation

Abstract

Batterers' resistance to traditional intervention programs has been well documented. Within a Transtheoretical Model of Change (stage of change) framework, a measure of processes of resistance was developed and administered to 346 adult male domestic violence offenders in treatment. The study yielded a 38-item measure that assesses eight dimensions of resistance: (a) System Blaming, (b) Problems with Partner, (c) Problems with Alliance, (d) Social Justification, (e) Hopelessness, (f) Isolation, (g) Psychological Reactance, and (h) Passive Reactance. The relationship between resistance and stage of change, time in treatment, and partner aggression are reported. Results suggest that we look beyond the most common forms of resistance (e.g., denial and victim-blaming) to identify and address other forms of resistance that may be more internally based and difficult to detect. The processes of resistance measure provides a tool for measuring those types of resistance.