Preventing Maltreatment at Home: A Meta-Analysis Examining Outcomes from Online Programs

Purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in cases of intimate partner violence (IPV) related to stay-at-home orders, as well as the financial and emotional stress many individuals are experiencing. With limitations on group gatherings, typical in-person prevention and intervention resources, such as anger management groups or batterer intervention programs, may be inaccessible to people in need of resources. Method: In order to understand effective options for reducing risk when face-to-face interventions are not feasible, we conducted a meta-analysis to examine the effects of online programs aimed at improving participants’ well-being and reducing IPV risk. Six studies were identified in databases using key search terms. Results: Change score comparisons revealed that online programs reduced participants’ anger, depression, emotional IPV perpetration, and physical IPV perpetration significantly more than control groups. Discussion: Findings suggest that online resources can help motivated individuals struggling with anger and/or at risk for IPV perpetration.