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Screening for physical violence in couple therapy: methodological, practical, and ethical considerations
1Boston College, Chestnut Hill MA 02167.
Family Process
|December 1, 1994
Summary
Marital violence is common in family therapy clients, yet often undetected by therapists. This study offers methods to improve detection of physical violence and identify life-threatening situations for partner safety.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Family Therapy
- Domestic Violence Research
Background:
- Physical intimate partner violence (IPV) affects over two-thirds of clients seeking family therapy.
- A significant gap exists between the prevalence of IPV and therapist awareness.
- Undetected IPV in therapy can have severe consequences for client safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance family therapists' ability to detect marital violence.
- To explore reasons behind the underdetection of physical violence in therapy.
- To provide tools for identifying and intervening in cases of severe partner violence.
Main Methods:
- Review of client and therapist factors contributing to non-detection of violence.
- Evaluation of screening methods for physical violence, including the Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS).
- Identification of indicators for life-threatening violence requiring urgent intervention.
Main Results:
- Client and therapist-related factors significantly impede the detection of marital violence.
- Screening tools like the CTS can improve identification rates.
- Specific indicators can help differentiate between general violence and immediately dangerous situations.
Conclusions:
- Family therapists need improved strategies to screen for and address marital violence.
- Early detection and intervention are crucial for protecting partners at risk.
- Training in specialized screening tools can enhance clinical practice and client safety.