Identifying the characteristics of men who drop out of batterers’ programs is crucial for prevention, intervention, and research. This article reviews studies of program attrition to establish a description of men who fail to complete group-based batterers’ interventions. Studies indicate that men who drop out are more likely to be unemployed, be unmarried and/or childless, have lower incomes, and less education than men who remain. Dropouts are also more likely to have a criminal history, to report substance abuse or related problems, and to present with particular relationship concerns or orientations. The relationship between court referral and dropout was inconsistent across studies and may vary according to socioeconomic status. Psychopathology is consistently related to dropout, but may be associated with other factors (e.g., comorbidity or referral source). Age, race, childhood exposure to violence, and battering history are all inconsistently associated with dropping out. The implications of these findings for research and program development are discussed.

Research and services to address premature termination from batterers' programs (BPs) are limited by arbitrary definitions of dropout and completion. A continuous measure was used to evaluate predictors of attendance by men in a BP. As part of a larger study, men (n = 220) completed measures of physical violence, prior arrests, and current psychological functioning; and women (n = 158) completed telephone interviews regarding their partner's violence and program continuance. Results indicate that BP clients attended an average of 11.3 out of 20 required sessions. Regression analyses indicate that men who were less educated, unemployed at intake, not court ordered to attend, and those who reported a history of alcohol-related problems completed fewer sessions. Staff ratings provide preliminary information about men's engagement in groups, help seeking, and willingness to accept responsibility. Results are consistent with psychotherapy research suggesting that social factors such as class status and instability interfere with attendance.

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