Objective: This study investigated the role of self-determined goals in predicting recidivism in domestic violence offenders. Method: The study was a posttest design with an annual follow-up of recidivism data of 88 courtmandated batterers who attended a solution-focused, goal-directed treatment program. We hypothesized that goal commitment, goal specificity, and goal agreement would predict recidivism, and that confidence to work on goals would affect the degree to which these factors predicted recidivism. Results: The recidivism rate for program participants was 10.2%, and the final model accounted for 58% of variance in recidivism. The model indicated that goal specificity and goal agreement positively predicted confidence to work on goals, which negatively predicted recidivism. Conclusions: Significance of the study was discussed with respect to the potential positive impact of utilizing self-determined goals, language of "self-determination," and "strengths and solutions" in batterer treatment as well as advances in social work intervention research.

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In this article, the authors discuss and evaluate a solution-focused treatment program for domestic violence offenders. Building on a strengths perspective, a solution-focused approach holds a person accountable for solutions instead of focusing on problems. The outcome study was a I-group preand posttest design with a 6-month follow-up to evaluate the effectiveness of a solution-focused group treatment program for 90 domestic violence offenders who were ordered by the court to receive treatment. Findings of the outcome study indicated a recidivism rate of 16.7% of program participants as based on official records over a 6-year period. There was a significant improvement in participants' relational skills in intimate relationships as evaluated by their spouses or partners and a significant increase in their self-esteem based on self-reports. Implications for treatment and research with domestic violence offenders are discussed.

Despite empirical evidence of self-determined goals and positive treatment outcomes, most conventional treatment programs of domestic violence offenders do not use self-determined goals as an integral part of their treatment efforts. The foundation for this article is a qualitative study that used data from 127 domestic violence offenders to explore the content and characteristics of goals that were self-determined by the offenders in a solution-focused, goal-directed treatment program. The emergent themes showed that the self-determined goals developed by offenders focused on self-focused and relational-focused attitudinal change and skills development. Three observed characteristics of these goals revolved around (a) emotional regulation versus cognitive understanding, (b) positively stated versus negatively stated goals, and (c) capacity building versus problem elimination. The implications of findings are discussed with the intention of generating useful dialogues among helping professionals to revisit treatment practices, orientations, and assumptions regarding treatment of domestic violence offenders.