Predicting dropout of court-mandated treatment in a British sample of domestic violence offenders

Authors: Bowen, Erica¹; Gilchrist, Elizabeth²

Source: Psychology, Crime and Law, Volume 12, Number 5, October 2006 , pp. 573-587(15)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

Prior to starting a pro-feminist domestic violence rehabilitation programme, 120 British male domestic violence offenders completed psychometric and attitudinal measures that assessed pro-domestic violence attitudes, anger, locus of control, self-reported emotional and psychological abuse of a partner, interpersonal dependency and social desirability. Offenders who completed the programme were compared to those who dropped out on these measures and demographic variables. Just under one-third (32.5%) of offenders failed to complete the programme. Of those variables that discriminated between completers and dropouts (age, previous custodial sentences, age at first conviction, marital status, self-reported abuse, and diagnosis of depression), only age (being young), having previously received a custodial sentence and self-reported low levels of physical abuse of a partner predicted attrition. These results are discussed with reference to probation supervision.

Keywords: Rehabilitation; evaluation; domestic violence; male perpetrators batterers

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10683160500337659

Affiliations: 1: Coventry University, UK 2: Kent University, UK

Publication date: 2006-10-01