The Duluth Model and ACTV for Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Randomized Trial of the Duluth Model and ACTV for Domestic Violence

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03609801
• Other study ID #: 18-007
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 29, 2018
• Est. completion date: May 31, 2023

Study information

• Verified date: August 2022
• Source: Iowa State University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 799
• Est. completion date: May 31, 2023
• Est. primary completion date: May 31, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Male
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Domestic Violence

Intervention

Behavioral:
• ACTV
Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior (ACTV) - pronounced "ACTIVE" - is a new intervention program 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 innovative 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.
• The Duluth Model
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 Men's Nonviolence Classes help men stop battering and explore the consequences of the violence for themselves, their partner and their children.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	5th Judicial District Department of Corrections	Des Moines	Iowa

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Iowa State University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Domestic assault recidivism	Domestic assault charges (per criminal justice data)	One year time period following BIP
Primary	Conflict Tactics Scale	Psychological (subscale min-max= 0-48), physical (subscale min-max= 0-72), and sexual (subscale min-max= 0-42) aggression (per victim reports); higher values = greater frequency of aggressive acts	Start and end of BIP, then one year later
Secondary	Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II)	Experiential avoidance (per offender self-report); min-max = 7-49; higher scores = greater experiential avoidance	Start and end of BIP
Secondary	Male Role Norms Inventory-Revised	Sexist beliefs and attitudes; min-max = 21-147; higher scores = greater agreement with traditional gender roles and sexist beliefs	Start and end of BIP