Emotional program for inmates imprisoned for gender violence (PREMOVIGE): Effectiveness in cognitive and behavioral variables

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to analyze whether the Program for Prisoners for Emotional Domestic Violence (Rodríguez-Espartal, 2012) is more effective than cognitive-behavioral treatment or no treatment in inmates imprisoned for violence against women. Participants were 36 male imprisoned for crimes related to violence against women in the Provincial Prison of Jaén II, divided into three groups according to treatment: cognitive-behavioral therapy (n = 11), emotional (n = 13), and control (n = 12). The efficacy of treatment was measured by its influence on a series of cognitive behavioral variables: distorted thoughts about women and the use of violence, expectations about change, aggression, anger, impulsivity, and stages of change. There was a greater decrease in distorted thoughts about women and the use of violence and an increase in the expectations about change in inmates who received emotional treatment. No change was found in other variables among inmates receiving treatment but there was an increase in negative results in the control group. Our results highlight the need for batterer intervention programs and to select the treatment that best fits the characteristics of these men.