Predictors of attrition in a treatment program for battering men

• Published in: Journal of family violence Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 19 - 34
• Main Authors: DEHART, D. D, KENNERLY, R. J, BURKE, L. K, FOLLINGSTAD, D. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Kluwer/Plenum 01-03-1999; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Attrition; Battered Women; Biological and medical sciences; Counseling; Domestic violence; Dropping out; Family Violence; Medical sciences; Men; Offenders; Personality Traits; Predictors; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social behavior disorders. Criminal behavior. Delinquency; South Carolina; Spouse Abuse; Treatment; Treatment Programs; Treatment dropout; Human; Marital relation; Attitude; Social interaction; Violence; Risk factor; Attrition; Social behavior disorder
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1022861809014
• EISSN: 1573-2851
• ISSN: 0885-7482

Survey measures completed by 61 men participating in a treatment program for batterers in Columbia, SC, are used to test the hypothesis that attrition would be predicted by frequency & severity of violence, denial of a problem with violence, rigidity of thinking, low levels of self-disclosure, & higher anxiety & constriction in social situations. It was also expected that attrition would relate to dependency, maladaptive personality styles, expectations regarding group counseling, & whether batterer participation in treatment was self-motivated or the result of external pressures. Analyses of variance & discriminant analyses indicated that program attrition was unrelated to demographic, attitudinal, or personality variables. Only the contextual/program variables of mileage traveled to attend & external monitoring of attendance significantly differentiated treatment rejecters, dropouts, & treatment continuers. Findings are discussed with regard to intrinsic & extrinsic motivational factors. 1 Table, 39 References. Adapted from the source document.