The Abusive Male Seeking Treatment: Jekyll and Hyde

Therapeutic factors in spouse-abuse group treatment

“…Abusive men tend to be unable to recognize or acknowledge the emotions they feel-other than anger (Bernard & Bernard, 1984;Margolin, John, & Gleberman, 1988). Abusive men may see many of their feelings, such as sadness, fear, or embarrassment, as unacceptable for them as men (Stordeur & Stille, 1989).…”

“…Often, abusive men indicate that they were forced by their spouses to be abusive (Bernard & Bernard, 1984;Ptacek, 1988). They may feel desperate to control her, and they choose violence to gain control.…”

“…Bernard and Bernard (1984) offer evidence that abusive men have limited social relationships, fueling an unhealthy dependence on their spouses. Developing close relationships with other group members helps abusive men overcome their social isolation and reduces their dangerous dependence on their spouses.…”

Are Current State Standards for Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment Adequately Informed by Research?

“…These include combating social isolation as a risk factor (Hotaling & Sugarman, 1986), peer support to ventilate acute concerns (Lion, Christopher, & Madden, 1976), the development of a vicarious learning environment, and exposure to coping versus mastery models for change (Rosenbaum & Maiuro, 1989). Many therapists have also recognized the confrontive value of groups for male offenders of various types (Bernard & Bernard, 1984). When supportively guided by a trained therapist, such confrontation can be useful in identifying and modifying interpersonal insensitivity, cognitive distortions, and the type of minimization and denial often evidenced by domestically violent men.…”

Wife-Battering: A theoretical construct and case report

“…Until recently (Bernard & Bernard, 1984;Roberts, 1983), the clinical literature on abuse has almost exclusively concerned the protection and treatment of the battered wives (e.g., Moore, 1979;Pagelow, 1981;Straus, 1977;Walker, 1984;Wetzel & Ross, 1983).…”