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Introduction: The incorporation of motivational strategies has shown promising results in increasing the effectiveness of intervention programs for intimate partner violence perpetrators, such as enhancing treatment adherence and decreasing risk of intimate partner violence recidivism. This could be particularly important for participants with alcohol and/or other drug use problems (ADUPs), who are at higher risk of recidivating and dropping out from the intervention. Consequently, there is a need to study whether motivational strategies are also effective for high-risk and highly resistant participants. The aim of this study was to determine whether the incorporation of motivational strategies led to improved outcomes in participants with ADUPs compared to those without. Methods: Participants were intimate partner violence male perpetrators who received a standard intervention (n = 349) or a standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan (n = 367). Data on official intimate partner violence recidivism, intervention dose, and dropout were collected after the end of the intervention. Comparisons were made between participants with and without ADUPs in each intervention condition. Results: Results showed that in the full sample of participants, irrespective of their condition, those with ADUPs presented a higher recidivism (p =.007) and dropout rate (p =.003) and lower intervention dose than those without ADUPs (p =.005). When only considering participants in the standard intervention, results also showed that intimate partner violence perpetrators with ADUPs had a higher recidivism (p =.025) and dropout rate (p =.015) and lower intervention dose (p =.048) than those without. However, there were no significant differences between participants with and without ADUPs in the standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan. Discussion: When incorporating motivational strategies into the standard interventions for intimate partner violence perpetrators, disparities between participants with and without ADUPs were mitigated. Specifically, participants with ADUPs showed similar outcomes to those without ADUPs after receiving the standard intervention adding an individualized motivational plan. Our results suggest that motivational strategies may be effective in reducing intimate partner violence recidivism and improving treatment adherence in high-risk and highly resistant intimate partner violence perpetrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Alcohol and/or other drug use problems (ADUPs) and trauma are key risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) that should be addressed in perpetrator programs. Participants with ADUPs and trauma histories may display greater difficulties in emotion regulation, which may increase the likelihood of IPV recidivism. The study aimed to examine differences among participants with trauma, ADUPs, ADUPs and trauma, and without such factors in dropout, IPV, and variables related to emotion regulation at pre- and post-intervention; (2) Methods: A sample of 312 men court-mandated to attend a perpetrator program (Contexto Program) was used. Variables related to emotion regulation difficulties included alexithymia, depressive symptomatology, and clinical syndromes. IPV variables included self-reported physical and psychological IPV and IPV recidivism risk assessed by facilitators. Comparisons between groups were made using one-way ANOVA, chi-square tests, and two-way repeated measures ANOVAs; (3) Results: Participants with ADUPs and trauma presented greater difficulties on variables related to emotion regulation, higher risk of IPV at pre-intervention, and higher dropout rates. At post-intervention, all participants improved their emotion regulation skills and reduced IPV recidivism risk, with participants with ADUPs and trauma maintaining a higher risk of IPV; (4) Conclusions: IPV perpetrators with ADUPs and trauma are high-risk participants. Interventions should target trauma and ADUPs to improve their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators with alcohol and/or other drug use problems (ADUPs) have been identified as one of the main high-risk and highly resistant groups of perpetrators requiring special attention in intervention programs for IPV perpetrators. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to evaluate whether an individualized motivational plan adjusted to ADUPs (IMP-ADUPs) was superior to standard motivational strategies (IMP) in reducing ADUPs, and IPV and increasing treatment adherence in IPV perpetrators. Method: Data from a full sample of IPV perpetrators (n = 140) and a subsample of participants with ADUPs (n = 55) were collected at pre- and post-intervention and 12-month follow-up. Final outcomes included alcohol, cocaine, and cannabis use, self-reported IPV, risk of recidivism assessed by facilitators, and official IPV recidivism. Proximal outcomes included treatment adherence (stage of change, intervention dose, active participation, and dropout). Results: Both intent-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses were conducted. The IMP-ADUPs condition was superior to the IMP in reducing alcohol use at post-intervention in both the full sample and ADUPs subsample. The full sample of participants in the IMP-ADUPs condition were in a more advanced stage of change post-intervention and showed increased active participation during the intervention process than IMP participants. All participants were in a more advanced stage of change at post-intervention and reduced their alcohol use and their risk of recidivism at post-intervention and 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: These results underscore the need to develop individualized treatment approaches to address participants' risks and needs and promote their motivation to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High dropout rates, particularly among intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators with alcohol and other drug use problems (ADUPs), challenge IPV perpetrator programs' effectiveness. This study sought to examine factors associated with goal setting, a motivational strategy to promote engagement, in a sample of IPV perpetrators (n = 285), including participants with ADUPs (n = 127) and investigated whether goal setting predicted lower dropout by adjusting for relevant variables. Results revealed goal setting could be an effective strategy to reduce dropout in IPV perpetrators and those with ADUPs and support the need to tailor interventions to participants' needs to enhance effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]