Abstract
Two studies evaluating cognitive-behavioral treatment programs for male spouse abusers are reported.3 Both programs resulted in significant reductions in both indirect and direct threats of violence and direct and severe violence towards spouses. Study 1 identified reduced levels of guilt proneness and increased levels of group conformity as a result of the intervention program. In addition, changes in attitudes toward love were noted from pre- to post-test indicating greater physical attraction, intensity of emotion, and commitment to the lover. Changes were maintained at a six month follow-up. Study 2 evaluated a modified cognitive-behavioral treatment formal that focused more on communication, problem-solving, and sexual attitudes and practices. All levels of violence were significantly reduced and changes in endorsement of sexual attitudes were noted. In addition, males showed lower levels of passive-aggressiveness and increasing levels of narcissism as a function of treatment. Implications for program development and research are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, D. C., and McCormick, A. J. (1982). Men unlearning violence: A group approach based on the collective model. In Roy, M. (ed.),The Abusive partner: An Analysis of Domestic Battering, Van Nostrand, Newyork, pp. 170–197.
Bedrosian, R. c. (1982). Using cognitive and systems intervention in the treatment of marital violence. In Barnhill, L. R. (ed.),Clinical Approaches to Family Violence, Aspen, Rockville, Md., pp. 117–138.
Bernard, J. L., and Bernard, M. L. (1984). The abusive male seeking treatment: jekyll and hyde.Fam. Relat. 33: 543–547.
Bland, R., and Orn, H. (1986). Family violence and psychiatric disorder.Canad. J. Psychiatry 31: 129–137.
Cantoni, L. (1981). Clinical issues in domestic violence.Social Casework 62: 3–12.
Cattell, R. B., Eber, H. W., and Tatsuoka, M. M. (1970).Handbook for the Sixteen Personality Factor questionnaire (16PF), Institute for Personality and Ability Testing, Inc.: Champaign, Ill.
Conran, T. J. (1987). controlling the controlling and overpowering the powerful: A language of violence intervention. Unpublished manuscript. San Antonio: Union Graduate School, Union of Experimenting Colleges and Universities.
Dutton, D., and Browning, J. (1983).Violence in intimate relationships, Paper presented at the North American meeting of the international Society for Research on Aggression, Victoria, British Columbia.
Eddy, M. J., and Myers, T. (1984, August).Helping Men Who Batter: A Profile of Programs in the U.S., Paper presented at the Second national Conference for Family Violence Researchers, Durham, N.H.
Elbow, M. (1982). Children of violent marriages: The forgotten victims.social Casework 63: 465–471.
Finn, J. (1985). The stresses and coping behavior of battered women.J. Conlemp. Social Work 66: 341–349.
Gay, M. L., Hoilandsworth, J. G., and Galassi, J. P. (1976). An asserliveness inventory for adults.J. Counsel. Psychol. 22: 340–344.
Hale, G., Duckworth, J., Zimostrad, S., and Nicholas, D. (1988). Abusive partners: MMPI profiles of malebatterers.J. Ment. Health Counsel. 10: 214–224.
Hamberger, L. K., and Hastings, J. (1988). Characteristics of male spouse abusers consistent with personality disorders.Hasp. Commun. Psychiatry 39: 763–770.
Hamberger, L. K., and Hastings, J. E. (1986). Personality correlates of men who abuse their partners: A cross-validation study.J. Fam. Viol. 1: 323–341.
Hendrick, C., and Hendrick, S. (1986). A theory and method of love.J. Personal. Social Psychol. 50: 392–402.
Hendrick, S., and Hendrick, C. (1987a). Love and sex attitudes and religious beliefs.J. Social Clin. Psychol. 5: 391–398.
Hendrick, S., and Hendrick, C. (1987b). Multidimensionality of sexual attitudes.J. Sex Res. 23: 502–526.
Karson, S., and O'Dell, J. W. (1976).A Guide to the clinical Use of the 16 PF, Institute for Personality and Ability Testing, Champaign, Ill.
Maiuro, R. D., Cahn, T. S., Vitaliano, P. P., Wagner, B. C., and Zegree, J. B. (1988). Anger, hostility, and depression in domestically violent versus generally assaultive men, and nonviolent control subjects.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 56: 17–23.
Margolin, E., Sibner, L. G., and Gleberman, L. (1988). Wife battering. In Van Hasself, V. B., Morrison, R. L., Bellack, A. S., and Herser, M. (eds.),Handbook of Family Violence, Plenum, New York.
Millon, T. (1983).Millon Clinical Multiaxial manual, Interpretive Scoring System, Minneapolis, Minn.
Nickel, E. J., Lubin, B., and Rinck, C. M. (1986). The new MAACL scales with adolescents: preliminary reliability and validity determinations.Adolescence 21: 81–86.
Ponzetti, J. J., Gate, R. M., and Koval, J. E. (1982). Violence between couples: profiling the male abuser.Person. Guid. J. 61: 222–224.
Rosenbaum, A., and O'Leary, K. D. (1986). Treatment of Marital Violence. In Jacobson, N. S., and Garman, A. S. (eds.),Clinical Handbook of Marital Therapy,
Rosenberg, M. (1965).society and the Adolescent Self-Image, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal vs. external control of reinforcement.Psychological Monogr. 80: 1–28.
Rouse, L. P. (1984). Models, self-esteem, and locus of control as factors contributing to spouse abuse.Victimol. Int. J. 9: 130–141.
Saunders, D. G., and Hanusa, D. R. (1984, August).Cognitive-behavior treatment of abusive husbands: The short term effects of group therapy, Paper presented at the Second national Conference for Family Violence Researchers, Durham, N.H.
Serum, C. S. (1982, August).A profile of men who batter women, Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada.
Sonkin, D. J., Martin, D., and Walker, L. (1985).The Male Batterer: A Treatment Approach, Springer, new York.
Spence, J. T., Helmreich, R. L., and Savin, L. L. (1980). The male-female relations questionnaire: Aself-report inventory of sex-role behaviors and preferences and its relationships to masculine and feminine personality traits, sex role attitudes, and other measures.JSAS Select. Doc. Psychol. 10: 87.
Subotnik, L. S. (1983).Overcongrolled and undercontrolled types of men who batter women, Paper presented at the North American meeting of the International Society of Research on Aggression, Victoria, British Columbia.
Tippett, J., and Silber, E. (1965). Self-image stability: The problem of validation.Psychological Rep. 17: 323–329.
Troop, W. F., and McDonald, A. J. (1971). Internal-external locus of control: A bibliography.Psychological Rep. 28: 1–10.
Walker, L. E. (1979).The Battered Woman, Harper & Row, New York.
Zuckerman, M., and Lubin, B. (1965).Manual for the Multiple Affect Ajective Check List, Educational and Industrial Testing Service, San Diego, CA.
Zuckerman, M., Lubin, B., and Rinck, C. M. (1983). Construction of new scales of the multiple affect adjective check list.J. Behav. Assess. 5: 119–129.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Faulkner, K., Stoltenberg, C.D., Cogen, R. et al. Cognitive-behavioral group treatment for male spouse abusers. J Fam Viol 7, 37–55 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00978723
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00978723