NCJ Number
208375
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 16 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 768-783
Editor(s)
Jon R. Conte
Date Published
August 2001
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study examined the variables related to completion and noncompletion of domestic violence rehabilitation in addition to victims’ and batterers’ perspectives about the level of their relationship mutuality.
Abstract
For batterers to stop battering, they must change the attitudes and beliefs they hold which gives them permission to batter. They must stop all forms of violence and abuse and work on building relationship equality. Learning to build partnership in intimate relationships is part of changing those attitudes and beliefs. Relationship mutuality and relationship partnership have much in common. They both build on respecting and valuing the opinions of an intimate other, supporting the other, communicating openly and honestly, and making decisions together. Utilizing the Mutuality Psychological Development Questionnaire (MPDQ), this study examined the role of relationship mutuality in relationships in which there was domestic violence in order to see how that related to batterer completion of rehabilitation and compared the victim’s reports of relationship mutuality and abuse to that of the batterer. The study sample consisted of 62 male batterers and 31 victims. The study provides a look at variables related to completion and noncompletion of domestic violence rehabilitation in addition to victims’ and batterers’ perspectives about the level of their relationship of mutuality. The noncompleters rated their levels of mutuality lower than did completers of domestic violence rehabilitation. However, they indicated that mutuality was not as important to them. Overall, the results of the study provide an understanding of batterer’s completion of domestic violence rehabilitation in the context of the programs goals. References