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Abstract
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AUTHOR'S ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using a measure of moral reasoning (i.e., the Defining Issues Test) as a dependent variable in the treatment of domestic violence offenders. To be feasible, the level of moral reasoning of batterers entering treatment had to be on a par with the low moral reasoning levels of other types of offenders. Furthermore, practical considerations (i.e., time needed to complete the instruments, accuracy of the completed instruments, level of cooperation of the participants) had to be investigated to make sure that the use of the DIT with this population was not ruled out. Therefore, this study was primarily descriptive in that it sought to establish norms for batterers prior to treatment, to compare those norms to data obtained from a national sample, and to look at practical considerations inherent in any treatment program. Participants in this study were 128 men who were arrested for domestic violence offenses under the Alabama Law Enforcement Protection Act and ordered into a treatment program by the court. Data collection involved gathering DIT scores from the participants on their first night of group treatment for domestic violence offenses. Following data collection, the completed instruments were returned to the developer for scoring. The results indicated that untreated batterers, as a group, engaged in significantly lower levels of moral reasoning than nonbatterers. Batterers employed significantly lower levels of moral reasoning than adults in general and, in fact, employed a level of moral reasoning consistent with institutionalized juvenile delinquents. The logistics of gathering these data from batterers did not mitigate against its use with this population. The implications of the results of this study for both an enhanced explanation of battering and for intervention with batterers were explored and discussed. This included (a) summarizing moral development theory, (b) applying Kohlberg's theories directly to domestic violence, and (c) discussing how increases in moral reasoning result in decreased recidivism rates for other offender populations. (Abstract Adapted from Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, 1997. Copyright © 1997 by Frederick P. Buttell; University Microfilms International)
Moral Reasoning
Offender Treatment
Domestic Violence Offender
Domestic Violence Treatment
Spouse Abuse Offender
Spouse Abuse Treatment
Adult Male
Male Offender
Male Violence
Adult Offender
Adult Violence
Alabama
Treatment Program
Court Mandated Treatment
Partner Violence
Violence Against Women
06-06 |