Video Intervention in Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a common occurrence in the U.S. Victims of IPV are at an elevated risk of experiencing a variety of physical and mental health consequences, which frequently co-occur and act synergistically, placing victims at a higher risk for revictimization. Experts recommend that interventions for victims of IPV focus on helping victims attain more balanced emotions and behaviors, rather than treating specific nosologies. One transdiagnostic treatment, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), focused on helping individuals gain more balanced emotions and behaviors, has shown success in treating victims of IPV. However, the DBT for IPV treatment protocol is not without it's limitations. Specifically, clients may need additional exposure to the skills and concepts taught in the treatment. Yet, additional exposure to the skills facilitated though a therapist is difficult to do given the limited budgets for services for victims of IPV and the client provider gap. In order to address the client provider gap, increase exposure to the skills, and to increase skills acquisition and generalization, video intervention adjuncts (VIAs) have been developed to serve as treatment adjuncts for the DBT for IPV skills group. The objective of the current study is to conduct a randomized control trial examining the treatment utility and participant acceptability of the two-day DBT for IPV skills group plus the VIAs versus treatment as usual (the two-day DBT for IPV skills group without the VIAs). The following hypotheses will be examined: 1) those in the experimental VIA condition will experience treatment gains above and beyond those in the control (treatment as usual) condition; 2) those in the experimental VIA condition will view the VIAs as acceptable; and 3) those in the experimental VIA condition will report a greater frequency of using the skills than those in the control condition.