Report examines risk factors linked to abuse
Intervention programmes can help target the motivations of men who abuse their partners, a study shows.
A treatment scheme developed for substance use, poor emotional regulation and reactions to stress may help manage behaviours that can lead to abuse, researchers say.
Research led by King’s College London, in collaboration with researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh, Bristol, Manchester and York explored the mechanisms behind Intimate Partner Abuse (IPA).
Research programme
The report, commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), is the culmination of a six-year research programme examining the risk factors behind why men who are receiving treatment for substance abuse their partners.
Researchers used questionnaires to examine the impact of ADVANCE – a 16-week integrated intervention that simultaneously seeks to address IPA perpetration and substance use.
Being treated for substance misuse is a high-risk factor for partner abuse, with around 6 in 10 men currently receiving help saying that they had been abusive to a female partner, the researchers say.
Links to abuse
Interviews with the study’s participants and their (ex)partners showed that abusive behaviour was closely linked to substance intoxication, withdrawal, craving and acquisition.
The acquisition of substances also generated financial pressures which intensified the conflict, researchers say.
The ADVANCE intervention can be delivered as a group-based in-person intervention or as a digital intervention and has been offered to 94 men in the UK.
Of the 25 participants interviewed at the end of the ADVANCE digital intervention, 68 per cent reported a reduction in their abusive behaviours, and 46 per cent reported an increase in the number of drug-free days in the last month.
This has been an exciting but challenging study to be a part of; the novel intervention offers a much needed, evidence-based response to domestic abuse. Our findings have been very well received, particularly by the domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales and the Caledonian Team in Scotland, who have been valuable contributors to this study. There is great interest in being involved in the implementation phase across the UK. We are currently presenting to commissioners and look forward to being able to identify pilot sites for roll out shortly .
Substance misuse and intimate partner abuse are a destructive mix that affect both perpetrator and survivor. Our study has shown the value in targeting the specific motivations of those men who are abusive to their partners, including substance use, poor emotional regulation, and poor stress-coping. The intervention is designed to promote personal responsibility as the key to facilitating meaningful change. “In the interviews we conducted with participants following the intervention, it was clear that the majority had found the support provided by ADVANCE beneficial. Most importantly, these findings were corroborated by many of the participants’ female partners.”
School of Health in Social Science
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