Role of offender perception in treatment outcome

Advances in Dual Diagnosis,Volume 10, Issue 2, May 2017. Purpose The purpose of this study was to address a possible interaction of cognitive distortions associated with substance dependency and intimate partner violence, and the affects on subsequent behavior. The primary focus was to investigate the relationship between offender perception (i.e., perception of family problems [FP] and perception of need for treatment for family problems [FPTx]) and treatment outcome (i.e., substance use and violence), among a unique sample of substance dependent male offenders of intimate partner violence. An additional investigation included the change in perception from baseline to the end of treatment Design/methodology/approach Sixty-three participants were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions and assessed across 12 weeks of treatment. Findings Participants in the FP+ (i.e., those who perceived family problems at baseline) and FPTx+ (i.e., those who perceived a need for treatment for family problems at baseline) conditions reported a significantly greater change in the number of days of violence from baseline to the end of treatment, compared to participants in the FP- (i.e., those who did not perceive family problems at baseline) and FPTx- (i.e., participants who perceived no need for treatment at baseline) conditions. FP+ and FPTx+ participants had significant decreases in any violent behavior from pre to post treatment. Originality/value The results of this study ...

Source: Advances in Dual Diagnosis - March 31, 2017 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research