Treatment effectiveness for male intimate partner violence perpetrators depending on problematic alcohol use

Abstract

Background: Problematic alcohol use (PAU) is highly correlated with intimate partner violence perpetration (IPV). However, when treatments for male IPV perpetrators that address alcohol consumption are evaluated, the results are varied. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to assess the differential long-term effectiveness of a standard individual treatment programme for male IPV perpetrators depending on the presence of PAU.

Methods: The sample was composed of 641 male IPV perpetrators who completed a specialized individual treatment programme for gender violence perpetrators. All of the participants were followed for one year after treatment completion.

Results: The effects of PAU on treatment success were evaluated by means of multiple logistic regression analyses. The full model was reliable (χ² = 10.243; df = 3; p = .016), and overall, 88.8% of the predictions were accurate. The findings indicated that the probability of successful treatment does not depend on the presence of PAU.

Conclusions: The relationship between IPV perpetration and PAU is highly complex, and several underlying mechanisms should be further evaluated. Accordingly, interventions should not only screen for alcohol consumption but also for all individual characteristics that might necessitate tailored treatment.

Keywords: Alcohol; Intimate partner violence; Psychopathology; Treatment.