The Strength at Home (SAH) intervention program has been shown to prevent and end physical and psychological IPV in several studies of military and veteran clients and is perhaps the most promising intervention for use with court-ordered civilians who use IPV, as the study team’s pilot data would suggest. The primary objective of the current study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of SAH with an IPV intervention program that is based on the standard curriculum offered locally and nationally.
the study will compare the two programs under the expectation that those who are referred to SAH will demonstrate relatively greater reductions in physical and psychological IPV (primary outcomes) and greater reductions in symptoms of PTSD and alcohol use problems along with higher treatment satisfaction (secondary outcomes). These study outcomes will be measured across five time points, three months apart.
The study will assemble and work closely with a Stakeholder Advisory Board consisting of former SAH clients, victim advocates, community IPV intervention experts, implementation experts, a chief judge and a hospital administrator to participate in quarterly meetings with the research team to help identify potential barriers and facilitators for successful implementation of the program.
Participants will include 400 men who are court-mandated to participate in IPV intervention in the state of Rhode Island who will be randomly assigned to participate in one of the two programs. Relationship partners will also be contacted as collateral sources for IPV reports. Researchers expect that the study results will place the research team in a strong position to make a powerful data-based case to move the field toward more trauma-informed, patient-centered and evidence-based intervention to prevent and end IPV.