Treatment and Recidivism Outcomes for Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review of Typology Research

This systematic review is the first to examine treatment and recidivism outcomes in relation to typologies of perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). Twenty-four ( n = 24) studies presented treatment outcomes for different types of perpetrators, and n = 25 presented recidivism outcomes. Half of the studies that reported treatment ( n = 12) and recidivism ( n = 13) outcomes for different types classified men who used IPV using variations of the family-only/generally violent typology (including two, three, or four groups). Typology studies that examined treatment or recidivism outcomes also differentiated perpetrators by reactive or instrumental violence, severity and frequency of violence, personality type, or treatment responsivity, in addition to other unique typologies. Across various typologies, family-only perpetrators were significantly more likely to complete treatment (compared to generally violent perpetrators), and, overall, individuals deemed lower risk were more likely to complete treatment. Perpetrators classified as generally violent or antisocial consistently showed higher recidivism rates than those classified as family-only. Traits such as antisocial attitudes, anger, instability, and low readiness to change were also linked to a greater risk of reoffending, and, overall, individuals deemed higher risk were more likely to reoffend. This systematic review summarizes existing evidence indicating that typology impacts treatment and recidivism outcomes for different types of perpetrators; however, it also highlights the need for further investigation of recidivism and treatment outcomes across these groups.