Dialogues in Partner Abusive Clients' Group Treatment: Conversational Tools Used by Counselors With Differently Motivated Clients
Räsänen, E., Holma, J., & Seikkula, J. (2014). Dialogues in Partner Abusive Clients' Group Treatment: Conversational Tools Used by Counselors With Differently Motivated Clients. Violence and Victims, 29 (2), 195-216. doi:10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-12-00064R1
Published in
Violence and VictimsDate
2014Copyright
© Springer. This is a final draft version of an article whose final and definitive form has been published by Springer.
This qualitative study investigated talk and interaction as process factors potentially
influencing outcomes in abuser group intervention. The findings showed that (a) abusers
participate in group programs with considerably different degrees of motivation; (b) the
interaction in abusers’ various stages of change is characterized by different qualities; and (c)
group counselors face a challenge in adapting their ways of working to abusers’ various
needs and backgrounds. The findings demonstrate the importance of attending to the
interactional elements in abuser treatment programs, and show the value of matching an
abuser’s needs and degree of motivation with the timing of interventions. It is argued that
attention to all these matters could help in making abuser programs more effective.