Comparing Strength at Home and Standard Programs for Intimate Partner Violence in Washington State

What this Trial Is About

Intimate partner violence IPV, involving physical and psychological aggression toward a partner, is a major public health issue affecting many individuals annually. This trial evaluates the Strength at Home SAH intervention, a trauma-informed program, compared to standard court-mandated IPV interventions in Washington State. The study aims to determine if SAH achieves outcomes that are not worse than the standard treatment in reducing IPV among court-involved men who have perpetrated IPV. Participants receive either the SAH program, which consists of 20 weekly two-hour group sessions using cognitive behavioral strategies to improve social processing affected by trauma, or the usual treatment, which involves at least 26 weekly two-hour sessions as mandated by Washington courts and may last longer. These two behavioral interventions are compared in a randomized controlled trial. Participants are assessed at baseline and every three months for one year on IPV frequency, psychological IPV, PTSD symptoms, alcohol use, and alexithymia. Additional evaluations include treatment satisfaction reported by participants. The study collects data from both the men and their intimate partners, with follow-ups occurring at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Safety is monitored by excluding participants with active psychosis or severe suicidal or homicidal thoughts that require hospitalization, and language proficiency is required for participation.

Evaluating Interventions for Intimate Partner Violence Use in Washington State