The Duluth Model and ACTV for Domestic Violence

A Randomized Trial of the Duluth Model and ACTV for Domestic Violence

The purpose of this research is to compare the effectiveness of two interventions for intimate partner violence (IPV). In most states, men who are convicted of domestic assault court-mandated to complete a Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) as part of their sentencing. The most commonly used BIP is based on The Duluth Model, which has been shown to decrease the recidivism of IPV offenders, but only marginally. The Duluth Model is a group intervention based on feminist theory and cognitive behavioral therapy. A new BIP called Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior (ACTV) has recently been developed by the PI as an alternative to Duluth. ACTV is currently being used statewide within the Department of Corrections (DOC) in Iowa. ACTV is a group intervention that utilizes acceptance and mindfulness techniques in addition to techniques from cognitive behavior therapy. The current study will use a randomized control trial to compare Duluth and ACTV, in order to assess the interventions' relative impact reducing IPV behaviors (physical aggression, psychological aggression, stalking, harassment, etc). Data on these outcomes will be collected via official criminal justice reports (i.e., criminal charges) as well as reports from victims. Other processes and outcomes of interest (attitudes toward women, emotion regulation, parenting behaviors, etc) will be collected from offenders.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Domestic Violence
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: ACTV; Behavioral: The Duluth Model

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 799
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Iowa
    • Des Moines, Iowa, United States, 50314
      • 5th Judicial District Department of Corrections

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• English-speaking
• First time domestic assault offender
• Domestic assault must be against an intimate partner
• Must be on supervision/probation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participation in any previous ACT-based or Duluth Model programming

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: ACTV; Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior (ACTV) - pronounced "ACTIVE" - is a new Batterers Intervention Program (BIP) for domestic violence offenders. ACTV was developed as a collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and the criminal justice system in the state of Iowa (Zarling, Lawrence, Oregno, 2017). It is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999), which is an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. ACTV is an innovative BIP in two primary ways; first, ACTV applies the ACT model to the treatment of domestic violence, and second, ACTV is specifically designed for use in the correctional setting as part of criminal justice programming.	Behavioral: ACTV; Achieving Change Through Values-Based Behavior (ACTV) - pronounced "ACTIVE" - is a new intervention program for domestic violence offenders. ACTV was developed as a collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and the criminal justice system in the state of Iowa (Zarling, Lawrence, Oregno, 2017). It is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999), which is an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy. ACTV is innovative in two primary ways; first, ACTV applies the ACT model to the treatment of domestic violence, and second, ACTV is specifically designed for use in the correctional setting as part of criminal justice programming.
Active Comparator: The Duluth Model; The Duluth Model Men's Nonviolence Classes is the most widely used BIP. The Duluth Model is based on the premise that domestic abuse happens when men believe they have the right to authority over women who are their intimate partners. The Duluth Model's Men's Nonviolence Classes (The Duluth Model for short) help men stop battering and explore the consequences of the violence for themselves, their partner and their children.	Behavioral: The Duluth Model; The Duluth Model is based on the premise that domestic abuse happens when men believe they have the right to authority over women who are their intimate partners. The Duluth Model Men's Nonviolence Classes help men stop battering and explore the consequences of the violence for themselves, their partner and their children.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Domestic assault recidivism	Domestic assault charges (per criminal justice data)	One year time period following BIP
Conflict Tactics Scale	Psychological (subscale min-max= 0-48), physical (subscale min-max= 0-72), and sexual (subscale min-max= 0-42) aggression (per victim reports); higher values = greater frequency of aggressive acts	Start and end of BIP, then one year later

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II)	Experiential avoidance (per offender self-report); min-max = 7-49; higher scores = greater experiential avoidance	Start and end of BIP
Male Role Norms Inventory-Revised	Sexist beliefs and attitudes; min-max = 21-147; higher scores = greater agreement with traditional gender roles and sexist beliefs	Start and end of BIP

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Iowa State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Amie Zarling, Ph.D., Iowa State University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Zarling A, Russell D. A randomized clinical trial of acceptance and commitment therapy and the Duluth Model classes for men court-mandated to a domestic violence program. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2022 Apr;90(4):326-338. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000722.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 29, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 31, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): May 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 25, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 25, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): August 1, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 27, 2024
• Last Verified: December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 18-007

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No