Therapist Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence: A Replication of Harway and Hansen's Study after More than a Decade

Abstract

More than a decade ago, Hansen, Harway, and Cervantes (1991) and Harway and Hansen (1993) conducted a research study examining mental health providers' ability to accurately perceive violence within couples presenting for therapy and to intervene in a manner in which to reduce the risk of danger to couples. The results were alarming, with 40% of therapists sampled failing to perceive intimate partner violence (IPV) and virtually no therapists intervening to reduce the risk of lethality. Harway and colleagues questioned how well-trained and informed therapists were in assessing IPV. The present study replicates Harway and colleagues' study with the expectation that, over a decade later, therapists are better prepared to accurately identify IPV issues and intervene effectively to reduce the risk of lethality. Reproducing the two main procedures used in the original study, 111 psychologists, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists were asked to respond to a survey. Results show that therapists have indeed improved their ability to identify IPV issues. Twenty percent of therapists predicted an increase in conflict, compared to 4% in the original sample. However, almost no therapists accurately predicted lethality in either study. Implications concerning IPV training for therapists are discussed.

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