A content analysis of battering interventions: Development of a unified framework for treating relationally violent men

Men’s violence against women in the form of intimate partner violence (IPV) has been an ongoing concern worldwide. While awareness of IPV and interventions for survivors of IPV have grown over the last several decades, relatively little attention has been given to improving battering intervention programs (BIPs) that address men’s violence. Existing data from BIPs show that relationally violent men (RVM) can be a very difficult population to treat. Meta-analyses across BIPs with differing theoretical ideologies show that these programs tend to struggle to retain RVM and have small effects on decreasing recidivism. The current dissertation conducted a content analysis of the available BIP literature addressing men’s violence to develop a more wholistic and unified psychotherapy approach for treating RVM. Propositions related to the causes of IPV, hypotheses regarding treatment, and corresponding operational definitions of interventions were identified in the BIP literature focused on treatment interventions. From this content analysis, a unified model of treating RVM was developed. The resulting unified approach for treating RVM may help to inform future treatment directions and improve the effectiveness of BIP programs in reducing men’s violence and preventing drop out. By allowing therapists and BIP facilitators to respond more flexibly and encouraging a more wholistic view of RVM, it is also hoped that this unified approach will aid facilitators looking to expand their repertoire of skills and conceptualization of RVM.