Different situations call for different types of therapy. For example, couples counseling may help a survivor of child abuse be intimate with their spouse. Yet few professionals would recommend couples counseling for domestic violence situations.
Full Answer
What are the different types of domestic violence treatment?
The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health (2013) Provides practical guidance for incorporating current trauma-informed research into the identification and treatment of survivors of domestic violence. This three-part series is designed to support professionals in facilitating the healing and resiliency of survivors and ...
How do we respond to domestic violence?
Involvement of the Family In Treatment. When adult survivors of child abuse enter treatment, clients' families may have a significant effect on the way in which treatment progresses. Every family has a unique style or unspoken set of rules that is used to maintain equilibrium in the family system (Satir and Baldwin, 1983). That equilibrium is thrown off balance by changes …
How do you respond to domestic violence?
Treatment for Children and Youth Affected by Domestic Violence. The following resources describe intervention and treatment models and strategies that address the trauma children and youth may experience when they are exposed to domestic violence. Resources include State and local examples. 16 Trauma-Informed, Evidence-Based Recommendations for ...
What to do in case of domestic violence?
The specified course of treatment typically consists of between 16 and 52 weeks of participation in a psychoeducational group, also known as batterer intervention programs, or BIPs (Kernsmith & Kernsmith, 2009; Maiuro & Eberle, 2008).
What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence, also known as partner violence (PV), is a major social and public health problem in the United States. For the past three decades, individuals arrested for PV have been mandated to complete a course of treatment in accordance with the various standards in the states in which they were arrested.
Is there evidence that treatment should be limited to one particular modality?
There does not appear to be clear-cut evidence that treatment should be limited to one particular modality. Due to serious mental health or personality issues, some offenders are too disruptive in a group setting and may be required to enroll in individual counseling, but research is inconclusive as to whether individual therapy is superior to group for partner-violent offenders (Murphy & Eckhardt, 2005). With respect to couples work, one RAC study found offenders in couples treatment less likely to re-offend during a follow-up period compared to offenders in a Duluth-type group (Brannen & Rubin, 1996). Both single-couple and multi-couple formats have been shown to significantly reduce recidivism when compared to no-treatment control groups, with the multi-couple format somewhat more effective (Stith et al., 2004). The few remaining studies using RAC or quasi-experimental designs found no significant difference between modalities of group versus couples (see Eckhardt et al., 2012). One important caveat is that all of the interventions targeted only low-moderate risk male offenders. Nevertheless, Level I and II experimental studies (Eckhardt et al., 2012) and Level III program reviews (e.g., Geffner et al., 1989; Shupe et al., 1989) have shown the couples format to be as safe for victims as traditional group programs. The objection to couples treatment are based on qualitative reports or clinical experience and therefore not evidence-based.
Is BIP evidence based?
Current BIP policy and guidelines across the United States, including California, are NOT evidence-based. Until such a time when the laws are changed, program directors are encouraged to incorporate the findings from this review, so that they can become as evidence-based as possible within the law’s limitations.
What is EBPP in psychology?
According to the American Psychological Association (2006): “ Evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP) is the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences ” (p. 273).
Is there a treatment for child abuse?
There is no one approach to treating children with experiences of abuse or neglect. The child’s age, mental health symptoms, and family dynamics can all affect the type of therapy used. The nature and duration of the abuse can also impact treatment.
What is therapy for abuse?
Therapy is a safe place to express and process difficult emotions. A therapist will not judge you for how you respond to abuse. Some people resent their abuser to the point of obsession. Others may still care for the abuser and wish to see them again. You may shift back and forth along this spectrum.
Why is therapy important?
A therapist may treat underlying mental health concerns and teach someone healthy ways to solve conflicts. Therapy is most effective when a person truly tries to change, as opposed to someone who is only in treatment due to a court order. Different situations call for different types of therapy.
Why is therapy so effective?
Therapy is most effective when a person truly tries to change, as opposed to someone who is only in treatment due to a court order. Different situations call for different types of therapy. For example, couples counseling may help a survivor of child abuse be intimate with their spouse.
How can play therapy help children?
Play therapy can help children to process the abuse without feeling threatened. Cognitive behavioral therapy: This type of therapy can help children change distorted thinking patterns. For instance, if a child blames themselves for incest, a therapist can help the child understand why the abuse wasn’t their fault.
What is group therapy?
Group therapy: In group therapy, a child can meet peers with similar experiences. This environment can help reduce feelings of stigma, shame, and isolation. Group therapy can also be a safe environment to practice new skills and communication tools the child learns in individual therapy.
What to do if you are being abused?
It can also be a reassurance of safety. If you are actively experiencing abuse and/or have reason to fear abuse from a person in your life, you may wish to file a protection order.
How many children are victims of domestic violence?
Children are often considered the “hidden” victims in families where domestic violence occurs. Studies have estimated that 3.3 - 10 million children witness domestic violence each year. Children, like their adult caregivers, experience trauma from the physical and verbal abuse in the home.
How does domestic violence affect children?
Children, like their adult caregivers, experience trauma from the physical and verbal abuse in the home. Children can display a variety of behaviors due to witnessing domestic violence and those behaviors can affect their ability to be successful in school and other social settings. Also, 30% to 60% of perpetrators of domestic violence abuse ...
Abstract
Although a growing field, much is still unknown about how different clinical and social care services might improve outcomes for female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) and their children who are indirectly exposed to it.
1. Introduction
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined by the World Health Organization [ 1] as “behavior by an intimate partner or ex-partner that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm, including physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse or controlling behaviors” (p. 1).
2. Materials and Methods
This review included interventions that address IPV within families, with children up to 18 years, with any outcome measure, from any country and written in English. This initial wide scope was to ensure all efforts to address the research objective were captured in the literature search and not restricted by article indexing.
3. Results
The combined electronic and hand searches produced a total of 9300 results. No authors responded with additional/unpublished work. After eliminating duplicates, book reviews, non-peer reviewed, unrelated articles, and other articles that did not meet search criteria, 53 texts were screened in full.
4. Discussion
This review sought to map interventions for women who are directly affected by IPV, and their children who are secondary victims, and to build on similar existing work that address the needs of those affected by violence in the home.
5. Conclusions
Despite a vast evidence-base on the implications of IPV on families, little consensus regarding treatment and support appears throughout the literature, or indeed clinical practice. One explanation of this is the wide range of interventions that have been implemented to treat mothers and children.
Author Contributions
K.A. and E.v.E. conceived and designed the review; conducted the analysis and prepared the manuscript for publication. Both authors have read and approved the final draft.