Psychological Flexibility, Traditional Masculinity Ideology, and Parenting Among Fathers in IPV Intervention Programs

There is a lack of research on the parenting practices of fathers who have engaged in intimate partner violence (IPV). And while many of these men participate in intervention programs, limited research has examined the effect of these programs on parenting warmth and involvement, particularly in fostering positive change. This study focuses on the interplay between psychological flexibility, masculinity, and parenting among a subsample of fathers (n = 143) participating in a randomized controlled trial of two court-mandated intervention programs. Self-report data were collected at pre- and post-treatment, approximately 7 months apart. Findings indicate significant improvement in psychological inflexibility, whereas there were no meaningful changes in flexibility, traditional masculinity ideology, and parenting warmth and involvement. Regression analyses revealed that post-treatment psychological flexibility and inflexibility significantly predicted parenting warmth and involvement, whereas traditional masculinity ideology did not. These results underscore the role of reducing psychological inflexibility in improving parenting among men who have engaged in IPV and highlight the potential for interventions to address not only violence but also father-child relationships. Limitations such as reduced sample size and incomplete data due to the COVID-19 pandemic must be considered when interpreting the findings. The study contributes to the growing body of research on IPV interventions and parenting, emphasizing the need for more targeted strategies such as increasing psychological flexibility to enhance positive fathering behaviors in this population.