EXPERT SYSTEM INTERVENTION--DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS

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Male-to-female partner violence poses a major threat to the physical and emotional wellbeing of women. Research assessing the efficacy of court- mandated domestic violence treatment has yielded disappointing results. A major problem with mandated treatment is that it tends to be standardized and "one-size-fits-all," neglecting individual differences in motivation level and readiness to change. We propose to individualize services by developing and pilot-testing a computer-administered Transtheoretical Model (TTM) based intervention tailored to individual readiness to end the violence. The intervention would be delivered as an adjunct to traditional group treatment for battering men to increase readiness to participate in treatment and end violence against a partner. The aims of this Phase I project are to norm the TTM measures, develop the TTM interventions, and determine the feasibility of this approach by assessing study recruitment rates and reactions to the intervention materials. Adult males referred to a batterer treatment agency will complete surveys for measure norming (n=l00) or participate in a pilot- test of the intervention materials (n=50). If feasibility criteria are met, the next step would be to conduct a randomized clinical trial in a Phase II study to assess the efficacy of the expert system intervention for partner violence cessation. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Male-to-female partner violence takes an enormous personal, social and financial toll on society, and to date there is little evidence that court- mandated batterer treatment reduces the likelihood of re-assault. An effective, low-cost, expert system intervention that can increase offenders' readiness to benefit from treatment and end the violence against a partner has significant commercial potential.