Integrating ‘Principles of Effective Intervention’ into Domestic Violence Intervention Programs: New Opportunities for Change and Collaboration

Abstract

Several evaluations and meta-analytic reviews have suggested that domestic violence (DV) treatment programs have only a modest impact on reducing DV recidivism. In response, a growing number of scholars and practitioners have called for the integration of evidence-based practices into DV treatment programming. In recent years, one leading approach has been to explore the infusion of the 'principles of effective intervention (PEI),' the prevailing evidence-based practice in correctional programming, into DV treatment. Findings from initial empirical studies from scholars and practitioners working to infuse the PEI into DV treatment programs have shown promise. This article provides an overview of the PEI and research exploring the integration of the PEI into DV treatment; a discussion on how these research findings can inform DV treatment programs interested in adopting a PEI framework; and practitioners' perspectives on implementing programmatic changes and collaborating on evaluation research while also continuing to provide DV treatment.

A randomized clinical trial of acceptance and commitment therapy and the Duluth Model classes for men court-mandated to a domestic violence program.

“…Over the last two decades, there have been calls for BIPs to focus more on evidence-based practices, incorporate principles of effective interventions (PEI) for correctional programs, and determine how to maximize the impact of these programs (e.g., Babcock et al, 2016; Radatz et al, 2021). The present study adds to the literature on BIPs by studying an ACT-based program utilizing PEI, and by directly comparing this program to another active treatment in real-world conditions.…”

Assessing States’ Intimate Partner Violence Offender Treatment Standards using a Principles of Effective Intervention Framework

“…Next steps for future research might include investigating how stakeholders make decisions regarding the range of risk and need factors assessed by IPV treatment providers, or if and how risk assessments are used by program providers in states that do and do not specify their use in states’ standards. Further, standards must specify that screening should be linked to services; co-locating or providing direct referrals to supportive services such as GED classes, parenting supports, job training, and mental health treatment would help facilitate service intervention to meet clients’ needs beyond those addressed in group treatment (see Radatz et al, 2021).…”

“…The incorporation of PEI's into treatment delivery, however, may make IPV treatment programming eligible for new funding sources. For example, when a statewide evaluation of Abuse Intervention Programs (AIP) in Maryland demonstrated a positive impact of treatment on general and IPV recidivism, AIPs were then considered evidence-based programs (see Radatz et al, 2021). As such, Maryland AIPs became eligible for funding from the state's Justice Reinvestment Act grant project.…”

“…Taken together, scholars suggest that IPV treatment programs that adhere to the PEIs will be associated with better client outcomes such as higher rates of treatment completion and lower rates of recidivism (Radatz & Wright, 2016; Stewart et al, 2013). While the PEIs have been used to address improvements in IPV offender treatment at the programmatic level (e.g., Radatz et al, 2021; Stewart & Power, 2014), they may also serve as a valuable framework to assess macro-level factors such as state standards for IPV offender treatment.…”

“…Decades of research have provided mixed evidence regarding the impact of IPV treatment on recidivism (for a review see Chen et al, 2021) and some scholars (e.g., Radatz & Wright, 2016; Stewart et al, 2013) have suggested that IPV treatment programs would benefit from adopting the principles of effective intervention (PEIs) (Andrews et al, 1990a, 1990b; Gendreau, 1996) commonly used in correctional programming. Research has shown that correctional programs or treatment models adhering to the PEIs result in the greatest reductions in recidivism (Andrews, Bonta et al, 1990; Gendreau, 1996), and emerging evidence suggests that IPV treatment programs are adopting the PEIs and seeing positive client outcomes (Stewart et al, 2013; see also Radatz et al, 2021).…”