CBT for AODA-DV Offenders

Cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol-dependent domestic violence offenders: an integrated substance abuse-domestic violence treatment approach (SADV).

Abstract

This pilot study evaluated the efficacy of a twelve-session cognitive behavioral group therapy for alcohol-dependent males with co-occurring interpersonal violence (IPV). Participants were 85 alcohol-dependent males who were arrested for domestic violence within the past year. Seventy-eight male adults were randomized to either a cognitive behavioral Substance Abuse Domestic Violence (SADV) group (N = 40) or a Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) Group (N = 38). There was no significant difference between SADV versus TSF in the number of sessions attended. Regarding substance use, the group assigned to Substance Abuse Domestic Violence reported using alcohol significantly fewer days (eg, 90 days of abstinence across the 12 weeks of treatment) as compared to the TSF group. Regarding physical violence, there was a trend for participants in the SADV condition to achieve a greater reduction in the frequency of violent episodes across time compared to individuals in the TSF group. These data suggest the promise of the SADV group therapy approach for alcohol-dependent males with a history of interpersonal violence who present for substance abuse treatment.
 
Easton CJ, Mandel DL, Hunkele KA, Nich C, Rounsaville BJ, Carroll KM.
Department of Psychiatry
Division of Substance Abuse
Yale University School of Medicine SATU
1 Long Wharf
New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17364418

"An approach to the treatment of offenders which emphasizes the role of altering thinking patterns in bringing about change in an offender's life."