Table Of ContentTREATING THE ABUSIVE PARTNER
Treating the Abusive Partner
An Individualized
Cognitive-Behavioral Approach
C M. M
HRISTOPHER URPHY
C I. E
HRISTOPHER CKHARDT
THE GUILFORD PRESS
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Treatingtheabusivepartner:anindividualizedcognitive-behavioralapproach/
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Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
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1. Abusivemen—Rehabilitation. 2. Abusivemen—Counselingof. 3. Wife
abuse—Treatment. 4. Cognitivetherapy. I. Eckhardt,ChristopherI. II. Title.
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AAbboouutt tthhee AAuutthhoorrss
About the Authors
Christopher M. Murphy, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology and
directorofthedoctoralprograminclinicalpsychologyattheUniversityof
Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Murphy also directs the New Behaviors
ProgramattheDomesticViolenceCenterofHowardCounty,Maryland,a
comprehensive clinical training, service, and research program focused
on perpetrators of intimate partner violence. His research focuses on
cognitive-behavioral and motivational treatments for abusive behavior in
intimateadultrelationships,emotionalabuseinrelationships,andthelinks
betweenintimatepartnerviolenceanduseofalcoholanddrugs.Thiswork
has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and the
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Dr. Murphy has
authoredmorethan40scientificarticlesandbookchaptersonthetopicof
intimate partner violence.
Christopher I. Eckhardt, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychological Sci-
encesatPurdueUniversityinWestLafayette,Indiana.Hisresearchfocuses
on the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral characteristics of partner-
abusive individuals, with a particular emphasis on anger and hostility in
thispopulation.ThisworkhasbeensupportedbytheNationalInstituteof
Mental Health, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism,
theNationalInstituteofJustice,andtheHarryFrankGuggenheimFounda-
tion. Dr. Eckhardt has authored more than 30 scientific articles and book
chapters on the topic of intimate partner violence.
v
PPrreeffaaccee
Preface
I
ntimate partner abuse is one of the most vexing social and public health
problems in contemporary society. The obvious social costs include crimi-
nal justice and legal interventions in abusive situations, shelter and advo-
cacy services for victims, and medical care for injured parties. Even more
importantaretheoftenhiddeneffectsonemotional,relationship,andfam-
ily functioning. For example, partner abuse victimization is a significant
factor in traumatic stress reactions, depression, and substance abuse. In
addition, many child witnesses develop anxiety and stress reactions, con-
duct problems, academic difficulties, and a repetitive cycle of coercive
behavior in their own relationships. Partner abuse is a common contribut-
ing factor to family instability, including relationship separation, divorce,
family displacement, and homelessness.
Onelogicalapproachtosocialinterventioninpartnerabuseistopro-
vide counseling services for perpetrators. Over the last quarter century,
overathousandsuchprogramshavebeendevelopedintheUnitedStates.A
wide variety of program models and practices have emerged, ranging from
didactic presentations about gender and power to group psychodynamic
therapy. Yet, to date, no specific program model or intervention practice
for partner-abusive individuals has strong research support for its efficacy.
Indeed, given the limited empirical support for abuser intervention, some
scholarshavequestionedwhethersuchprogramsshouldbeofferedatall.
Our goal in this book is to propose and describe a new intervention
approach for partner-abusive clients, an approach informed by current
research on the causes and correlates of abusive behavior. Our approach
beginswiththeobservationthatpartner-abusiveindividualsvarywidelyin
vii
viii Preface
their presenting problems, readiness to change, and motivations for engag-
inginabuse.Ratherthanprovidingastandard,one-size-fits-allgroupinter-
vention, as is the typical practice in the field, we have spelled out a multi-
phase, individual treatment for abusive individuals.
The treatment described here has a number of important innovations
relative to the standard practice in the field. First, an individualized case
formulationguidestheselectionanddeliveryofinterventions.Theclinician
is encouraged to carefully evaluate the nature and forms of abusive behav-
ior, the conditions under which it occurs, its consequences, underlying
beliefsandthinkingstylesthatpromoteabusivebehavior,andotherassoci-
atedlifecomplicationsandproblems.Second,ourapproachisinfusedwith
techniques designed to motivate change in resistant clients, promote a col-
laborative working alliance, and apply directive interventions in a fashion
designed to support a self-directed change process. Third, we provide a
detailed presentation of cognitive and behavioral treatment strategies
designed to undermine abuse-maintaining beliefs and hostile thinking pat-
ternsandtopromoterelationshipskillsthatcansupplanttheneedforcoer-
cive control. Finally, long-term change is addressed through a focus on
traumarecoveryandrelapseprevention.Asfaraswecangather,thisisthe
first comprehensive, individualized manual for the treatment of partner-
abusive clients.
It is important to acknowledge right from the outset that scientific
research and clinical practice, as yet, have not provided sufficient answers
to the key questions of why partner abuse occurs and what are the most
effective means to change abusive behavior. In this book, we are equally
interested in providing an impetus for future research on individualized
intervention services for abusive clients as well as creating a guidebook for
practitioners that is useful, comprehensive, up to date, and informed by
available research and clinical experience.
A book such as this, and the clinical and research efforts it represents,
could not have been completed without the help of many important col-
leagues and supporters. We would like to acknowledge support from the
NationalInstituteofMentalHealthintheformofapsychosocialtreatment
development grant (MH064562) to facilitate the specification and prelimi-
naryinvestigationofthetreatmentoutlinedhere,andtotheNationalInsti-
tute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute of Justice,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Maryland Gover-
nor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention, which have provided
research support to one or both of us in our efforts to understand partner
abuse and develop effective treatments for abusive clients. We would also
like to acknowledge the consistent involvement of the agency staff at the
Domestic Violence Center of Howard County, Maryland, including Judith
Clancy, Jodi Finkelstein, Linda Meade, and Tori Shequine, who have pro-
Preface ix
vided Dr. Murphy with a remarkable context in which to conduct clinical
research and training for over a decade. Finally, this work would not have
been possible without the extensive involvement of current and former
graduatestudentswhohaveservedasresearchcollaboratorsandtreatment
providers, including Laura Lynch, Judy DeDeyn, Christina Watlington,
Danielle Black, Fabio Van der Merwe, Casey Taft, Peter Musser, Tara
Neavins, Jeff Elliott, Nancy Remington, Tanya Morrel, Jamie Winters,
Theresa Schmitz, Marie Cugini, Stella Mantakos, Ashley Sibley, Bradley
Norlander,andAngieUtschig.Specialthanksareduetoresearchtherapists
whohavehelpedtorefineandtestouttheclinicalproceduresoutlinedhere,
including Drs. Cindy Eaves, Andy Goode, Manu Singh, and Sharon Ste-
phen. Finally, we would like to thank our mentors, K. Daniel O’Leary (C.
M. M.) and Howard Kassinove (C. I. E.), who helped to instill in us the
motivation and confidence to tackle this project.
