Changes in Sexist Beliefs and Psychological Flexibility Among Men Court-Mandated to Domestic Violence Programs

Previous research of batterer intervention programs (BIPs) has focused primarily on outcomes, with very few studies examining the processes that drive change. The Duluth Model BIP targets decrease in sexist beliefs as its theory of change, while acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based BIPs target psychological flexibility as the theory of change. However, empirical data on the role of changes in psychological flexibility and sexist beliefs BIP participants and their relation to recidivism will add to our understanding of these potential therapeutic mechanisms. The current study investigates self-reported changes in psychological flexibility and sexist beliefs from pre- to post-treatment among men from a randomized controlled trial of ACT and Duluth ( N = 84). Results indicated that both interventions lead to improvements in psychological flexibility and sexist beliefs, with participants in ACT showing stronger associations between psychological flexibility and reduced sexism. Notably, significant changes were reported in psychological flexibility and sexism for men who did not re-offend, while those who re-offended showed no significant change in those processes. The results add to understanding of the theoretical mechanisms of change in BIPs which may help to optimize interventions and enhance victim safety. ClinicalTrials.gov (registration number: NCT03609801; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03609801).