An Iowa State University study finds domestic violence interventions that help men recognize and deal with emotions have higher success rates when compared to traditional programs. Amie Zarling, a professor of Human Development and Family Studies at I-S-U, is the paper’s lead author. She says traditional intervention which tries to change men’s thinking towards women isn’t effective in preventing domestic violence. The new program she created takes a different position.
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The program doesn’t come from the standpoint of lecturing, giving advice or problem solving. She says it’s more about teaching the men how to change their behaviors so they can change their lives. Zarling found those who received the intervention she developed are nearly half as likely to reoffend.
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The research finds men convicted of domestic violence are nearly 50-percent less likely to reoffend if they participate in the intervention that emphasizes emotional awareness. Zarling’s study was published in the journal “Psychology of Violence.”