Characteristics of Childhood Family Violence Experiences in Spanish Batterers

Abstract

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) constitutes a major public health problem worldwide. The existing links between childhood family violence experiences and perpetration of IPV during adulthood suggest that violence is transmitted across generations. The aims of this study were to provide new insights into characteristics of the history of childhood family violence in a sample of Spanish convicted male batterers and to examine what typology of batterer (specialist or generalist) is more likely to have had different types of childhood experiences of violence in the family context. Participants were 740 men convicted of IPV whose ages ranged from 18 to 71 years old ( M = 39.74; SD = 10.01). Of them, 305 men were classified as specialist batterers, and 391 men were classified as generalist batterers. Participants completed a questionnaire made ad hoc regarding family of origin violence and sociodemographic aspects. Results showed that, in comparison with generalist batterers, specialist batterers had higher likelihood of having experienced child abuse or maltreatment during their childhood, having experienced physical punishment and child neglect, having their father as the aggressor of such experienced situations of abuse, or maltreatment. Likewise, specialist batterers had higher likelihood of having been witnesses of family violence, having witnessed physical and psychological violence in the family, having witnessed their mother and siblings being the victims and their father being the aggressor when family violence occurred. This study emphasized the need for identifying children exposed to direct and indirect family violence because they could be a vulnerable group for future IPV perpetration. Moreover, variables related to childhood family violence must be considered when developing intervention treatment programs focused on male specialist batterers.

What Differentiates Batterer Men with and without Histories of Childhood Family Violence?

“…What seems to be clear is that not all male IPV perpetrators have been exposed to violence in their family of origin (Delsol & Margolin, 2004;Teva et al, 2020).…”

“…The percentage of CFV in our sample (35%) is within the range reported in the literature regarding perpetrators (Lee et al, 2013; Mbilinyi et al, 2012) but higher than the rates found in the general population (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). What seems to be clear is that not all male IPV perpetrators have been exposed to violence in their family of origin (Delsol & Margolin, 2004; Teva et al, 2020). Therefore, these findings provide only partial support for the social learning theory explanations of IPV, at least those that have been established in the literature.…”

“…Moreover, exploring IPV from the perspective of batterer men helps to identify specific risk factors and potential processes that drive the relation between environment and IPV (Voith et al, 2020). Thus, there has been an effort by researchers and clinicians to identify meaningful subtypes of batterers according to different characteristics, such as referral source (Garcia-Jimenez et al, 2014), alcohol or drug misuse (Downs et al, 1996; Fernández-Montalvo & Echeburúa, 1997), personality characteristics (Cunha & Goncalves, 2013; Echauri et al, 2011; White & Gondolf, 2000), the extent of violence both inside and/or outside the family (Holtzworth-Munroe & Stuart, 1994; Waltz et al, 2000), or criminal history (generalist versus specialist) (Herrero et al, 2016; Teva et al, 2020). However, there is little research distinguishing male IPV perpetrators exclusively in terms of their childhood family violence (CFV) history.…”

Is psychological treatment equally effective for intimate partner violence perpetrators with and without childhood family violence?

“…The existing IPV-P typologies might lead to reaching this target through the identification of specific risk factors, individual processes to perpetrate IPV, and different levels of recidivism risk (Voith, Topitzes, Topitzes, & Berg, 2020). These typologies have been established according to drug or alcohol misuse (Vitoria-Estruch, Romero-Martinez, Lila, & Moya-Albiol, 2018), personality characteristics (Cunha & Goncalves, 2013;White & Gondolf, 2000), the extent of violence inside and/or outside the family (Holtzworth-Munroe & Stuart, 1994;Waltz, Babcock, Jacobson, & Gottman, 2000), previous criminal records (Herrero, Torres, Fernandez-Suarez, & Rodriguez-Diaz, 2016;Teva, Hidalgo-Ruzzante, Perez-Garcia, & Bueso-Izquierdo, 2020), or childhood family violence (CFV) (Lee, Walters, Hall, & Basile, 2013;Mbilinyi et al, 2012;Murrell, Christoff, & Henning, 2007).…”

“…These negative interpersonal life events may have an impact on the capacity to assume appropriate adult roles in relationships (Godbout et al, 2009). Nevertheless, as a critical risk factor that can differentiate this population in terms of personality profiles (Lee et al, 2013), the frequency of IPV (Mbilinyi et al, 2012;Murrell et al, 2007), the type and severity of IPV (Lee et al, 2013;Murrell et al, 2007), or criminal versatility (Teva et al, 2020), it has not been examined in-depth in the research. Therefore, CFV could be a crucial variable in the development of these typologies and, consequently, in the implementation of tailored treatment interventions.…”