269243 Women offenders: A pilot study of the needs of women in batterer intervention programs

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 3:10 PM - 3:30 PM

Sarah Desmarais, PhD , Department of Mental Health Law & Policy / Department of Community & Family Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Carla L. VandeWeerd, PhD , Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Martha L. Coulter, DrPH MPH MSW , Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Mary Ivory , Harrell Center for the Study of Family Violence, University of South Florida, College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
Melissa Tirotti , College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Mimi Ghosh , College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Ngozichukwuka Agu, MBBS , Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Cara de la Cruz, PhD, MPH , Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, University of South Florida, College of Public Health, Tampa, FL
     
Background: Although the needs of women who commit domestic violence (DV) may be different from those of their male counterparts, intervention strategies for male and female DV offenders often are the same (Miller et al., 2005). Based on models of male-perpetrated DV, not surprisingly, these programs are more effective for treating men than women (Coulter & VandeWeerd, 2009).

Methods: We conducted a pilot study to investigate the physical and mental health needs of 39 women enrolled in two batterer intervention programs. Participants completed a series of questionnaires including the 8-Item Short Form Health Survey (Ware et al., 1996), Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (Zimmerman & Mattia, 2001), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein & Fink, 1997), the Conflict Tactics Scale Revised (Straus et al., 1996), Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ (Hyler, 1994), and Texas Christian University (TCU) Drug Screen II (TCU Institute of Behavioral Research, 2006).

Results: More than one-third of participants (38%) experienced physical or emotional problems that prevented them from engaging in their usual daily activities. Almost half (49%) experienced symptoms of PTSD, and many met criteria for other mental disorders, including depression (23%), psychosis (29%), alcohol abuse or dependence (33%), and generalized anxiety disorder (36%). Women reported a significantly higher frequency of physical injury resulting from DV compared to their partners (62% vs. 54%, p=.007), and when reported, women sustained more severe injuries (46% vs. 21%, p=.000).

Conclusion: Women who perpetrate DV present with a variety of mental and physical problems. Programs should be developed to respond to their unique treatment needs.

Learning Areas:
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Describe the demographic, mental health, and physical health characteristics of women in batterer intervention programs mandated by the court. Evaluate how these characteristics relate to the type and severity of domestic violence committed by women in these programs. Identify the needs of women in these programs and ways batterer intervention programs can better address these needs.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am currently a MPH student in the Behavioral Health Program at University of South Florida. I am currently a graduate assistant at the Harrell Center for the Study of Family Violence (USF) and I am working on two grants on topics related to family violence. I have three years of experience researching topics on domestic violence both in the state of Florida and in Maryland at the Domestic Violence Center of Howard County.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3332.0: Community Interventions focused on Perpetrators of Family Violence