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Women in IPV Treatment for Abusers and Women in IPV Survivor Groups: Different or Two Sides of the Same Coin?

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Abstract

The Calgary Counselling Centre offers therapy groups for both women whose partners abuse them, “You’re Not Alone” (YNA) and women who abuse partners, “Responsible Choices for Women” (RCW). The study examines 262 group members (157 RCW & 105 YNA), comparing their demographics and scores on measures of physical and non-physical partner abuse, and mental health symptoms. At pretest, women in YNA reported significantly more problematic depression, anxiety, general distress and trauma symptoms than women in the RCW program. Nevertheless, the factorial repeated measures analysis of variance on pretest/posttest data from 177 women found statistically significant improvements on all four outcomes measures for women in both groups, although women in the YNA survivor groups made the most improvements on depression, stress and general distress. Clinical implications are described.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Christine Berry, Director of Family Violence Prevention Initiatives, Calgary Counselling Centre, who reviewed an earlier version of the submission.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Leslie M. Tutty & Michael A. Rothery

  2. Calgary Counselling Centre, #200, 940-6th Ave. S.W, Calgary, AB, T2P 3T1, Canada

    Robbie Babins-Wagner

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  1. Leslie M. Tutty
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  2. Robbie Babins-Wagner
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Correspondence to Leslie M. Tutty.

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Tutty, L.M., Babins-Wagner, R. & Rothery, M.A. Women in IPV Treatment for Abusers and Women in IPV Survivor Groups: Different or Two Sides of the Same Coin?. J Fam Viol 32, 787–797 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-017-9927-2

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