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By on May 5, 2010

Questions about prevention for couples

In the study recently ePublished in the Journal Prevention Science, the authors Woodin and O’Leary examine a violence prevention program for couples with a history of at least one act of male-to-female physical violence in the current relationship.

Domestic violence advocates warn against activities that may place someone at great risk, such as couple-based interventions. This program includes an assessment that includes interviewing both partners together.

The study finds the use of motivational interviewing to reduce future physical aggression (as compared to those who receive “minimal non-motivational” feedback.)

What do you think?

The full citation and abstract follow:

A Brief Motivational Intervention for Physically Aggressive Dating Couples.

Woodin EM, O’Leary KD. Prevention Science 2010; ePublished April 17, 2010.

Click here to see the abstract on the journal’s website.

(Copyright © 2010, Springer Science+Business Media)

Motivational interviewing is a brief non-confrontational intervention designed to enhance motivation to reduce harmful behavior (Miller and Rollnick 2002). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing as a targeted prevention approach for partner aggression in emerging adulthood. Participants were 50 college dating couples between 18 and 25 years old who reported at least one act of male-to-female physical aggression in their current relationships. After completing a 2-hour assessment session, half of all couples were randomly assigned to a 2-hour individualized motivational feedback session targeting physical aggression and risk factors for aggression. The remaining couples received minimal, non-motivational feedback. Follow-up surveys were conducted 3, 6, and 9 months later. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that, compared to the control condition, the motivational feedback intervention led to reductions in physical aggression and harmful alcohol use and to less acceptance of female psychological aggression and male psychological aggression (among women only). Lagged analyses indicated that changes in physical aggression were predicted by reductions in psychological aggression and by lower acceptance of both male and female psychological aggression. Reductions in physical aggression predicted lower anxiety and greater relationship investment and male relationship commitment over time. These findings suggest that a brief motivational intervention is a useful prevention approach for high-risk dating couples, with benefits to both individual and relationship functioning.

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