How Do Women in Treatment for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Perceive Their Abusive Behavior?

Objective: The study goals were: (a) to examine how women receiving treatment for intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration appraise their use of IPV and their need for change; (b) to determine whether these appraisals of IPV perpetration are associated with other important clinical variables; and (c) to explore gender differences in IPV appraisals. Method: During the intake assessment at a community-based IPV treatment program, 51 women completed interview and self-report measures of their positive and negative expectations regarding the effects of IPV perpetration, positive and negative immediate reactions following IPV perpetration, motivation to change, trauma symptoms, depression, anger, emotion regulation, and relationship problems. Results: Women who expect more negative effects from engaging in abuse reported higher motivation to change, whereas those who experience more positive immediate reactions after IPV reported lower motivation to change. Positive outcome expectancies of abuse perpetration were significantly correlated with depression, trauma symptoms, anger dyscontrol, emotion regulation difficulties, relationship problems, and higher frequency of emotional and physical abuse perpetration. When compared to a matched sample of men from the same treatment program (n = 51), women reported significantly lower negative outcome expectancies of abuse perpetration and fewer negative immediate reactions following IPV perpetration but did not differ in motivation to change. Conclusions: Women's motivation to change abusive behavior is associated with their IPV outcome expectancies and post-IPV reactions. Positive anticipated effects of abuse appear to present a particularly important change target in developing gender-responsive interventions for women who commit IPV in their relationships.