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Study of Male Veterans' Beliefs Toward Domestic Violence in a Batterers Intervention Program

NCJ Number
234380
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 21 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2006 Pages: 1111-1128
Author(s)
Mary E. Craig; James Robyak; Elaine J. Torosian; John Hummer
Date Published
September 2006
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article examines the attitudes and beliefs of batterers.
Abstract
Domestic violence in intimate relationships is a ubiquitous social problem. This study addresses a gap in the research literature on batterers intervention programs with heterosexual male batterers by evaluating whether or not self-reported attitudes about partner abuse and sexist beliefs could be modified over time as a result of participation in a Batterers Intervention Program (BIP). Using the Inventory of Beliefs about Partner Abuse (IBAPA) to measure attitudes toward domestic violence and the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) to measure sexist beliefs, results of the study provide empirical support for the notion that participation in BIPs affects the self-reported beliefs about their rights to physically and emotionally abuse their partner. These self-reported scores were adjusted for response bias by the long version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCD). Response bias and how it is treated in self-report measures with batterers is also discussed. (Published Abstract)