The Duluth Model and ACTV for Domestic Violence

Iowa State University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Domestic Violence

Treatments: Behavioral: ACTV; Behavioral: The Duluth Model

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03609801

18-007

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this research is to compare the effectiveness of two interventions for intimate partner violence (IPV). In most states, men who are convicted of domestic assault court-mandated to complete a Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) as part of their sentencing. The most commonly used BIP is based on The Duluth Model, which has been shown to decrease the recidivism of IPV offenders, but only marginally. The Duluth Model is a group intervention based on feminist theory and cognitive behavioral therapy. A new BIP called Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior (ACTV) has recently been developed by the PI as an alternative to Duluth. ACTV is currently being used statewide within the Department of Corrections (DOC) in Iowa. ACTV is a group intervention that utilizes acceptance and mindfulness techniques in addition to techniques from cognitive behavior therapy. The current study will use a randomized control trial to compare Duluth and ACTV, in order to assess the interventions' relative impact reducing IPV behaviors (physical aggression, psychological aggression, stalking, harassment, etc). Data on these outcomes will be collected via official criminal justice reports (i.e., criminal charges) as well as reports from victims. Other processes and outcomes of interest (attitudes toward women, emotion regulation, parenting behaviors, etc) will be collected from offenders.

Enrollment: 799 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• English-speaking
• First time domestic assault offender
• Domestic assault must be against an intimate partner
• Must be on supervision/probation

Exclusion criteria

• Participation in any previous ACT-based or Duluth Model programming

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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799 participants in 2 patient groups

ACTV

Experimental group

Description:

Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior (ACTV) - pronounced "ACTIVE" - is a new Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) for domestic violence offenders. ACTV was developed as a collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and the criminal justice system in the state of Iowa (Zarling, Lawrence, Oregno, 2017). It is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, \& Wilson, 1999), which is an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. ACTV is an innovative BIP in two primary ways; first, ACTV applies the ACT model to the treatment of domestic violence, and second, ACTV is specifically designed for use in the correctional setting as part of criminal justice programming.

Treatment:

Behavioral: ACTV

The Duluth Model

Active Comparator group

Description:

The Duluth Model Men's Nonviolence Classes is the most widely used BIP. The Duluth Model is based on the premise that domestic abuse happens when men believe they have the right to authority over women who are their intimate partners. The Duluth Model's Men's Nonviolence Classes (The Duluth Model for short) help men stop battering and explore the consequences of the violence for themselves, their partner and their children.

Treatment:

Behavioral: The Duluth Model