Comparing different types of child abuse and spouse abuse offenders

This study examined differences in offenders' background characteristics, personal and interpersonal problems, and family climate between three types of child abuse offenders (neglecters, physical abusers, and psychological abusers) and two forms of spouse abuse offenders (physical abusers and psychological abusers) in two large samples (child abuse n = 2,910; spouse abuse; n = 7,035) of cases officially identified over a 8-year period (1988-1995) by the U.S. Air Force Family Advocacy Program. Comparisons addressed demographic factors, personal and interpersonal problems, and aspects of family climate. Among child abusers, results supported the conclusion that types of child abuse varied with offender demographics and family climate factors. For spouse abusers, however, types of abuse were not as distinctly different in terms of the comparison variables. In general, therefore, for child abuse--but not for spouse abuse--findings challenge the view of abuse as a unitary phenomenon.     

An examination of spouse abuse: Practice issues for the profession

This paper reviews the substantial problem of spouse abuse. Initially, the scope of the problem is reviewed. Who the victim is, why she stays, who the batterer is, the relationship between violence and alcohol, and other victims of abuse are covered in detail. A clinical paradigm for helping clients is elucidated. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the phenomenon for the profession.     

The development and evaluation of a spouse abuse treatment program in a military setting

The development and evaluation of a spouse abuse treatment program in a military setting are described. Preliminary studies on the correlates of interspousal violence found that measures of locus of control, marital adjustment, and stressful life events differentiated abusive from non-abusive service members. A treatment program for abusive couples was developed based on the preliminary findings. Program evaluation data involving pre- and post-program administrations found significant positive change on The Dyadic Adjustment Subscales, Consensus and Cohesion, and on the Norwicki Strickland Locus of Control Scale. The implications of these findings for family advocacy programing are discussed.     

Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples and childhood sexual abuse survivors

This study explored Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples with childhood sexual abuse survivors (CSA) and their partners. Half of the couples in this study reported clinically significant increases in mean relationship satisfaction and clinically significant decreases in trauma symptoms, and thematic analyses identified numerous areas where trauma survivors were challenged in fully engaging in the therapy process. In particular, trauma symptoms such as affect dysregulation and hypervigilance were identified to play a role in the challenges that survivors experienced in fully engaging in the EFT process. Results of these thematic analyses yielded clinical recommendations for working with CSA survivors and their partners in EFT for traumatized couples. Recommendations for future study were articulated.     

The internal validity of the index of spouse abuse in African American women

This study investigated the internal validity of the Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA) (Hudson & McIntosh, 1981) in a sample of 583 African American women who sought health care at a tertiary care hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Three models were tested with confirmatory factor techniques: (a) Hudson and McIntosh's original Index of Spouse Abuse two factor model; (b) Campbell, Campbell, Parker, and Ryan's three factor model (Campbell, Campbell, King, Parker, & Ryan, 1994); and (c) an alternative model of physical and nonphysical abuse. This alternative model is based in part on Tolman's conceptualization of psychological abuse as a construct comprised of two related but distinct factors: controlling and emotionally abusive behaviors (Tolman, 1999). Results show that the alternative model fits the data better than the first two models. Findings support the continued use of the ISA, but with proposed modifications.     

Dropout and completion of treatment among spouse abusers

This study examines a population of spouse abusers undertaking a treatment program. Its purpose was to identify the variables associated with dropout and completion of treatment and to build a predictive model. Data were collected on 286 men who began group treatment in one of eight community programs in the province of Quebec, Canada. Results show that men who complete treatment are older, better educated and have better economic conditions than men who drop out. They also have a more stable family life, have been in a relationship for a longer period of time and have more children with their actual spouse. Men who completed treatment showed more commitment, better working capacities and a higher level of agreement with their therapists, thus developing a stronger therapeutic alliance. Support provided by people in the environment was significantly related to treatment completion. Social and judicial pressures were not related to completion.     

Socioeconomic resources,gender traditionalism,and wife abuse in urban Russian couples

Until recently, Soviet data restrictions led to limited knowledge about wife abuse in Russia. This study adds to emerging research on Russian domestic violence by testing hypotheses derived from resource theory on the effects on wife abuse of husband's absolute resources versus spouses’ relative resources. Analysis of data from the 1996 National Survey of Russian Marriages (N= 664) shows support only for the influence of husband's absolute socioeconomic resources (education, employment status, and occupational rank). As in U.S. studies, intergenerational patterns of wife abuse and husband's alcohol use have notable effects on wife abuse. The findings suggest that although resource theory may partly explain wife abuse in urban Russia, spouses’ relative resources and husband's gender traditionalism currently have little influence.     

Developing a manualized couples treatment for domestic violence: overcoming challenges

This paper describes challenges faced in a four-year project to develop a manualized couples treatment program for domestic violence. The couples treatment program is an add-on to a male batterer program where the male partner has perpetrated mild-to-moderate violence, yet both partners want to remain together. The project involved the cooperation of a variety of community agencies and referrals from key domestic violence programs. While some anticipated challenges did not materialize over the course of the project, unanticipated challenges did. Qualitative data collected from therapists and clients throughout the project was used to refine the treatment approach.     

Psychological abuse in Spanish same-sex couples: prevalence and relationship between victims and perpetrators

This study investigates the prevalence of psychological abuse victimization in same-sex couples and the relationship between being a victim and a perpetrator of these negative behaviours. The final sample consisted of 107 adults residing in Spain who identified themselves as lesbian women and gay men, and who had been involved in a conflictive same-sex relationship. Participants were asked how frequently they would label their experience of psychological abuse and three different estimation methods were used. Furthermore, the relationship between being a victim and being a perpetrator of psychological abuse behaviours was calculated through the behavioural estimation method using a questionnaire. The results showed that the prevalence rates varied from 11.3% to 56.6%, depending on the estimation method, and they revealed that there was no correlation between receiving and enacting psychological abuse behaviours. The variation in prevalence rates highlights methodological differences that limit the extent to which comparisons can be made across studies. Three estimation methods are introduced to stimulate future research on this issue.     

Patterns of mutual and nonmutual spouse abuse in the U.S. Army (1998-2002)

The pattern and severity of substantiated mutual and nonmutual spouse abuse between U.S. Army enlisted personnel and their spouses was determined for 1998 to 2002. The number of nonmutual and mutual abuse victims was equal in 1998, but by 2002 there were about twice as many non mutual as mutual victims. The rate per thousand of mutual abuse decreased by 58% while that of nonmutual abuse decreased by 13%. The rate per thousand of female victims was always greater than male victims for non-mutual abuse and the severity of abuse of female victims was always more severe than male victims. The active duty female had the highest risk of becoming a victim. These patterns of mutual and nonmutual domestic abuse in the U.S. Army suggest that prevention and educational approaches could be developed that would be useful to prevention specialists and to clinicians as the Army pursues avenues to reduce domestic violence.     

Interviewing for alleged abuse in the residential treatment center

Investigations of institutional abuse reports rely heavily on ex post facto interviewing. In this article, indices of plausibility are discussed as the basis for more reliable inferences in the absence of physical evidence.     

Cost-effectiveness of family-based substance abuse treatment

In order to compete in a financially sensitive health care system, family systems-based treatments must demonstrate effective clinical results as well as cost-effectiveness. Cost-effectiveness research can demonstrate to health care insurers and policy makers which treatments are viable options for implementation. The present literature review identified eight cost-effectiveness family-based substance abuse treatment studies. The results suggest that certain family-based treatments are cost-effective and warrant consideration for inclusion in health care delivery systems.     

Evaluating community-based treatment programmes for men who sexually abuse children

The currently dominant multi-factorial explanations of sex offending have been reflected in the widespread adoption of cognitive-behavioural groupwork methods where treatment foci are those attitudes, beliefs, cognitions and behaviours believed to contribute towards the maintenance of sexually abusive practices. Community-based programmes have mushroomed during this decade, with 97% of regional probation services now having provision for sex offender treatment. However, these relatively recent and dramatic developments of practice have to a large extent occurred outside of a framework of rigorous planning and evaluation. This article begins by outlining a rationale for both the treatment of sex offenders and evaluating programmes. This is followed by a framework for evaluation within which treatment providers can consider the issues involved (including the methodological difficulties) in setting up research designed to evaluate treatment effectiveness. It is suggested that, while small-scale (in-house) research may tell us something about the success or otherwise of individual programmes, it is the larger-scale projects carried out by independent researchers that will inform us as to the impact of cognitive-behavioural group work on recidivism and offence-related psychological variables. Such research has the potential to assist policy-makers and to aid managers and practitioners in the development of effective treatment programmes. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Further understanding the systemic effects of childhood sexual abuse: a comparison of two groups of clinical couples

This study addressed the impact of traumatic experiences on dyadic relationships by comparing general stress and trauma symptoms and relationship impairment measures between two clinical groups: female childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors (n=15) and their male partners, and a control group of couples who reported no CSA (n=17). Both female CSA survivors and their partners reported higher symptoms of stress, suggesting support for the theory of secondary traumatic stress. Relationship impairment results did not support the hypothesis that CSA would negatively impact the dyadic functioning of couples. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are provided.     

Systemic effects of trauma in clinic couples: an exploratory study of secondary trauma resulting from childhood abuse

Clinical literature suggests that those close to a trauma survivor may experience intrapersonal and interpersonal distress because of indirect or secondary effects of the trauma. The focus of this study is on the association between reported childhood physical and sexual abuse and current individual stress symptoms, relationship satisfaction, and family adjustment. The participants included 96 clinic couples who reported a history of childhood physical or sexual abuse in one or both partners and 65 clinic couples in which neither partner reported such abuse. Couples in which one or both partners reported childhood abuse reported significantly lower marital satisfaction, higher individual stress symptoms, and lower family cohesion than couples with no abuse history. No significant differences were found between individuals who reported a history of abuse and their partners who reported no history of childhood abuse, suggesting support for secondary trauma theory. Clinical and future research implications are discussed.     

Effectiveness of intervention into substance abuse disorders in women with comorbid depression.

Victimization was supported by the occurrence of various forms of abuse--sexual, physical, and emotional--and the difficulty in establishing healthy intimate relationships. Because relapse is common, nurses must be alert for faulty negative thinking, behaviors, and feelings that might lead to relapse.     

Childhood sexual abuse patterns, psychosocial correlates, and treatment outcomes among adults in drug abuse treatment

This study reports on the effects of having a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on treatment outcomes among substance abusing men and women (N = 2,434) in a national, multisite study of drug treatment outcomes. A history of CSA was reported by 27.2% of the women and 9.2% of the men. Controlling for gender, compared to patients without CSA, patients reporting CSA were younger at entry into the current drug treatment, were more likely to be White, were more likely to have a comorbid mental disorder, be alcohol or cocaine dependent, had higher levels of criminal activities, had a higher level of problem recognition, and had a more negative peer influence. Controlling for these correlates, a history of abuse was related to a lower likelihood of posttreatment abstinence.