Anger Disturbances Among Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Court-Mandated Treatment

• NCJ Number: 241315
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 23 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2008 Pages: 1600-1617
• Author(s): Christopher I. Eckhardt; Rita E. Samper; Christopher M. Murphy
• Date Published: November 2008
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): 99-WT-VX-0012
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined anger arousal in intimate partner violence (IPV).

Abstract

In the present study, the authors clustered a pretreatment sample of 190 perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) mandated to attend group counseling based on State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory scores and examined whether these profiles were associated with differential outcomes 1 year postadjudication. Cluster analysis revealed 3 groups: (a) high anger-expressive (HA-E, n = 56), (b) moderate anger-inexpressive (MA-IE; n = 13), and (c) low anger (LA; n = 118). HA-E men perpetrated more IPV, reported experiencing and witnessing more abuse during childhood, scored higher on psychopathology measures, and reported more substance problems. HA-E and MA-IE males had higher program attrition and rearrest rates; MA-IE males were more likely to be arrested for assault-related offenses. Thus, although the majority of partner-abusive men do not present with anger-related disturbances, the presence of anger problems may be a marker for an array of traits that may complicate the treatment process. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage Journals.