The prevailing method of working with men who batter is through structured psychoeducational groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy. The authors contrast the assumptions of cognitive-behavioral with those of process-psychodynamic approaches in working with men who batter. They describe a process-psychodynamic treatment model that was implemented at an abuser-treatment program. The major phases of the group process are illustrated with excerpts of group dialogue.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BrennanA. F. (1985). Political and psychosocial issues in psychotherapy for spouse abusers: Implications for treatment. Psychotherapy, 22, 643–654.
2.
CarmenE., RiekerP. P., & MillsT. (1984). Victims of violence and psychiatric illness. American Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 378–383.
3.
DuttonD. (1995). Trauma symptoms and PTSD-Like profiles in perpetrators of intimate abuse. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 8, 299–316.
4.
DuttonD. G., & StarzomskiA. J. (1993). Borderline personality in perpetrators of psychological and physical abuse. Violence and Victims, 8, 327–337.
5.
EdlesonJ. L., & SyersM. (1991). The effects of group treatment for men who batter: An 18 month follow-up study. Research in Social Work Practice, 1, 227–243.
6.
FeazellC. S., MyersR. S., & DeschnerJ. (1984). Services for men who batter. Family Relations, 33, 217–223.
7.
GilE. (1983). Outgrowing the pain.New York: Dell.
8.
HambergerL. K., & HastingsJ. E. (1986). Personality correlates of men who abuse their partners: A cross-validation study. Journal of Family Violence, 1, 323–341.
9.
HartleyR. E. (1974). Sex-role pressures and the socialization of the male child. In PleckJ. H., & SawyerJ. (Eds.), Men and masculinity (pp. 7–13). Engle-wood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
10.
HermanJ. L., PerryJ. C., & van der KolkB. A. (1989). Childhood trauma in borderline personality disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 490–495.
11.
Holtzworth-MunroeA., & StuartG. L. (1994). Typologies of male batterers: Three subtypes and the differences among them. Psychological Bulletin, 116, 476–497.
12.
JenningsJ. (1987). History and issues in the treatment of battering men: A case for unstructured group therapy. Journal of Family Violence, 2, 193–213.
13.
MaiuroR. D., CahnT. S., VitalianoP. P., WagnerB. C., & ZegreeJ. B. (1988). Anger, hostility, and depression in domestically violent versus generally assaultive men and nonviolent control subjects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 17–23.
14.
MillerA. (1981). The drama of the gifted child.New York: Basic Books.
15.
PleckJ. H. (1980). Men's power with women, other men and society. In PleckE. H., & PleckJ. H. (Eds.), The American man (pp. 417–433). Engle-wood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
16.
SaundersD. G. (1992). A typology of men who batter: Three types derived from cluster analysis. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 62, 264–275.
17.
SaundersD. G. (in press). Feminist-cognitive-behavioral and process-psychody-namic treatments for men who batter: Interaction of abuser traits and treatment models. Violence and Victims.
18.
SaundersD. G., & AzarS. T. (1989). Treatment programs for family violence. In OhlinL., & TonryM. (Eds.), Family violence: Crime and justice, a review of research (Vol. 11, pp. 481–546). Chicago: University of Illinois Press.
19.
ScherM, & StevensM. (1987). Men and violence. Journal of Counseling and Development, 65, 351–355.
20.
StosnyS. (1994). “Shadows of the Heart”: A dramatic video for the treatment resistance of spouse abusers. Social Work, 39, 686–694.
21.
TaubmanS. (1986). Beyond the bravado: Sex roles and the explosive male. Social Work, 31, 12–18.
22.
TolmanR. M., & BennettL. W. (1990). A review of quantitative research on men who batter. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 5(1), 87–118.
23.
TolmanR. M., & EdelsonJ. L. (1995). Intervention with men who batter. In StithS., & StrausM. A. (Eds.), Understanding partner violence (pp. 262–274). Minneapolis, MN: National Council on Family Relations.
24.
van der KolkB. A. (1988). Trauma in men: Effects on family life. In StrausM. B. (ed.), Abuse and victimization across the life span (pp. 170–187). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
25.
Van GelderL. (1987, October). Alice Miller: The cost of parental tyranny. Ms, pp. 82–85.
26.
WaldoM. (1987). Also victims: Understanding and treating men arrested for spouse abuse. Journal of Counseling and Development, 65, 385–388.
27.
WallaceB., & NoskoA. (1993). Working with shame in the group treatment of male batterers. International Journal of Group Therapy, 43, 45–61.
28.
WarriorJ. (1989). Dealing with offensive and sexist language in the men's groups.Unpublished manuscript. Madison, WI: Family Service.
29.
WhitfieldC. L. (1987). Healing the inner child.Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications.
30.
YalomI. (1975). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy.New York: Basic Books.
