A randomized clinical trial of acceptance and commitment therapy and the Duluth Model classes for men court-mandated to a domestic violence program.

OBJECTIVE

This is the first randomized controlled trial to compare Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with the Duluth Model curriculum, which took place in community-based corrections for the treatment of men convicted of domestic violence. ACT is a third-wave cognitive-behavioral approach that utilizes experiential methods to foster psychological flexibility. The Duluth Model curriculum is an educational approach grounded in feminist theory that focuses on changing attitudes toward women and unlearning power and control motivations. This trial was preregistered at ClinicalTrials.gov (registration number: NCT03609801).

METHOD

This study included 338 men who were court-mandated to complete a domestic violence program after being convicted of assault against a female partner. Participants were randomized to complete the 24 sessions of the ACT program or the Duluth Model Men's Nonviolence Classes. Outcomes included criminal justice data (domestic violence charges, other violent charges, and nonviolent charges) incurred during the 1 year following program dropout or completion, and victim reports of intimate partner violence (IPV; aggression, controlling behaviors, and stalking/harassment).

RESULTS

In intent-to-treat comparisons to Duluth, ACT participants did not show a difference in domestic assault charges at 1 year posttreatment (p = .44). ACT participants acquired significantly fewer violent charges (p = .04) and nonviolent charges (p = .02) compared to Duluth participants. Data from victims indicated that victims of ACT participants reported significantly fewer IPV behaviors than victims of Duluth participants on the Conflict Tactics Scale (d = .78), the Controlling Behaviors Scale (d = .66) and the Stalking Behavior Checklist (d = .71) at 1 year posttreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

An ACT-based group intervention delivered in community corrections reduced violent and nonviolent criminal charges compared to the Duluth classes. Domestic violence charges did not differ between groups but victim reports indicated that ACT participants engaged in fewer IPV behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).