“Shadows of the Heart”: A Dramatic Video for the Treatment Resistance of Spouse Abusers

Abstract

Successful intervention with spouse abusers, most of whom are ordered into treatment by the courts, must overcome formidable anger and resistance, often expressed by high attrition and scant participation in the group treatment process. The dramatic video "Shadows of the Heart" dissipates client resistance by providing internal motivation to control violent behavior. The video dramatizes spouse abuse from the viewpoint of a young boy, who as a man has become a spouse abuser. As clients experience compassion for the child witness to family violence, they learn to convert their habitual anger response into nonviolent actions. Developed to combat treatment resistance, the video presentation was tested in a randomized experiment with 106 male spouse abusers drawn from seven public and private agencies. Results indicate that the video presentation significantly increased attendance and participation in the group treatment process.

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