The aim of the present study was to identify the main risk factors and treatment needs of batterer intervention program (BIP) participants with alcohol and drug abuse problems (ADAPs), beyond issues strictly related to their substance abuse, taking into account four sets of variables: sociodemographic (i.e., age, educational level, income, employment, and immigrant status); personality disorders and psychological adjustment (i.e., clinical symptomatology, personality disorders, anger, impulsivity, and self-esteem); social-relational variables (i.e., community support, intimate support, stressful life events, and perceived social rejection); and violence-related variables (i.e., family violence exposure, perceived severity of intimate partner violence against women [IPVAW], ambivalent sexism, risk of future violence, physical and psychological intimate partner violence, motivation to change, and stage of change). The study was based on a sample of 1,039 male IPVAW offenders court-mandated to a community-based BIP. Results from comparisons between BIP participants with and without ADAPs were interpreted in terms of effect sizes to highlight the most salient differences. Differences with moderate effect sizes were found for clinical symptomatology, anger trait, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, stressful life events, motivation to change and stage of change. Differences with large effect sizes were found for impulsivity, antisocial disorder, borderline disorder, and aggressive disorder. Several intervention strategies are proposed to guide and adjust interventions to risk factors and treatment needs of BIP participants with ADAPs.Los factores de riesgo y las necesidades de tratamiento de los participantes en los programas de intervención con maltratadores con problemas de abuso de substancias R E S U M E N El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar los principales factores de riesgo y necesidades de tratamiento de los participantes en un programa de intervención con maltratadores (BIP) con problemas de abuso de alcohol y/o drogas (ADAP), más allá de sus problemas de abuso de substancias, teniendo en cuenta cuatro conjuntos de variables: sociodemográficas (i.e., edad, nivel educativo, ingresos, empleo y estatus de inmigrante), trastornos de personalidad y ajuste psicológico (i.e., sintomatología clínica, trastornos de personalidad, ira, impulsividad y autoestima), variables socio-relacionales (i.e., apoyo comunitario, apoyo íntimo, eventos vitales estresantes y rechazo social percibido) y variables relacionadas con la violencia (i.e., exposición a violencia familiar, gravedad percibida de la violencia contra la mujer en las relaciones de pareja, sexismo ambivalente, riesgo de violencia futura, violencia de pareja física y psicológica, motivación al cambio y estadio de cambio). El estudio se basó en una muestra de 1,039 hombres condenados por violencia de género y remitidos a un programa de intervención para maltratadores como medida penal alternativa. Los resultados de las comparaciones entre los participantes ...

Men with alcohol and/or other drug use problems (ADUPs) court-mandated to attend intervention programs for intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators have been identified as a high-risk, highly resistant group of IPV perpetrators, as they present lower treatment adherence and higher dropout and recidivism rates. Previous research suggests that IPV perpetrators with ADUPs may require tailored interventions to address their specific risk factors. The present systematic review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines to identify the specific risk factors in men with and without ADUPs on entry to court-mandated perpetrator programs. The following databases were searched from inception to November 2021: Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Scopus. There was a screening of 3,995 records, and 29 quantitative studies were included in the review. Risk factors present in males court-mandated to perpetrator programs were grouped into four categories: sociodemographic risk factors, personality disorders and psychological adjustment, social-relational risk factors, and risk factors related to attitudes towards women. Results indicated that the main risk factors in IPV perpetrators with ADUPs, compared to those without, were higher clinical symptomatology (e.g., anger and impulsivity), personality disorders, poorer executive functions, having experienced more stressful life events, higher exposure to childhood trauma, lower intimate social support, and higher responsibility attributed to the offenders’ personal context. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex phenomenon of IPV and ADUPs, and could help to inform key targets for perpetrator programs that may improve the well-being of their (ex)partners and increase the effectiveness of intervention programs for IPV perpetrators.

El objetivo de este estudio es comprobar si existen diferencias en la efectividad de un programa de intervención para hombres condenados por violencia de género, en función del lugar de procedencia de los participantes (i.e., españoles e inmigrantes latinoamericanos). Se utilizó una muestra de 425 hombres penados por violencia de género que participaban en un programa estándar de intervención en España. Se consideraron como variables finales la reincidencia oficial y el riesgo de reincidencia y como variables proximales la intención de cambio, la asunción de responsabilidad, la adherencia al tratamiento y el compromiso con la intervención. No se encontraron diferencias entre participantes españoles y latinoamericanos en las variables riesgo de reincidencia, intención de cambio, asunción de responsabilidad al sistema legal y a la víctima. Únicamente se encontraron diferencias significativas entre estos dos grupos en la variable compromiso con la intervención. Los resultados sugieren que, al menos para los inmigrantes latinoamericanos que se encuentran participando en programas de intervención con hombres condenados por violencia de género en España, no parece necesario ajustar la intervención en función de las diferencias culturales, siendo suficiente el uso de estrategias motivacionales para promover el cambio. The aim of this study was to test whether there are differences in the effectiveness of a Batterer Intervention Programme (BIP) for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) perpetrators depending on the participants’ countries of origin (i.e., Spanish or Latin American immigrants). The sample included 425 male offenders who participated in a court-mandated standard BIP in Spain. Official recidivism and risk of recidivism were considered the final outcomes. Intention to change, responsibility attribution, adherence to treatment and treatment compliance were taken as the proximal outcomes. No differences were found in risk of recidivism, intention to change, responsibility attribution to the legal system and to the victim between the Spanish and Latin American participants. Significant differences between both groups were found for the variable treatment compliance. The results suggest that, at least for the Latin American immigrants participating in BIPs in Spain, it is apparently not necessary to adjust BIPs to cultural differences as adopting motivational strategies to promote change suffices.

Treatment adherence and motivation to change are among the main challenges in intervention programs for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) perpetrators. Motivational strategies have shown promising results in increasing the effectiveness of intervention programs for IPV perpetrators. One of these motivational strategies is goal setting. The aim of this study was to analyze and categorize the self-determined goals ( n = 204) of 227 male participants attending an intervention program for IPV perpetrators. Findings of the thematic analysis suggested three levels of analysis: 4 core categories, 12 categories, and 35 codes. The four core categories were “interpersonal relationships” (39.7%), “personal resources for daily life” (29.3%), “coping strategies” (27.8%), and “motivation to change” (3.2%). Identifying the main categories of self-determined goals of IPV perpetrators could guide professionals to tailor the intervention to participants’ specific needs and implement evidence-based strategies to strengthen goal attainment and improve treatment outcomes.