University of Washington
School of Social Work
iprg@u.washington.edu
Links
Published Work
Mbilinyi, Neighbors, C., Walker, D. D., Segar, K., Walton, T. O., Roffman, R. A., Zegree, J., & Urion, W. (2022). What's In It for Me? Motivating the Untreated Abuser to Consider Treatment. Journal of Family Violence, 1–14. doi.org PDF
Abstract: This paper presents findings of a second trial evaluating telephone-based motivational enhancement therapy (MET) to motivate untreated and unadjudicated men who abuse their intimate partners to explore treatment options. Participants’ perceptions of how their abuse is negatively affecting them personally are a highlight of the paper. One hundred forty-one adult men were recruited through social marketing and randomly assigned to the intervention (MET) or comparison (Mail) group. The MET condition consisted of two feedback sessions guided by a personalized feedback report on participants’ intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use. The Mail condition included a mailed educational brochure on IPV and substance use. Results supported the likely effectiveness of MET in short-term reduction of IPV behavior, marijuana use, and increasing motivation for treatment seeking particularly for participants who reported more adverse consequences of IPV to themselves. Findings emphasize the importance of including a focus in interventions on IPV’s impact on the abusers themselves. The study’s virtual participation and success in reaching and retaining a diverse population of male abusers can contribute to transformative justice and communities looking for alternative early interventions for men of color prior to encountering the criminal justice system.
Mbilinyi, L., Neighbors, C., Walker, D., Roffman, R., Zegree, J., Edleson, J., & O’Rourke, A. (2011). A telephone intervention for substance-using adult male perpetrators of intimate partner violence. Research on Social Work Practice, 21(1), 43-56. PDF
Abstract: Objective: To preliminarily evaluate telephone-delivered motivational enhancement therapy (MET) in motivating unadjudicated and nontreatment seeking intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators, who also use substances, to self-refer into treatment. Method: 124 adult men were recruited via a multimedia marketing campaign and were randomly assigned to the intervention (MET) or comparison group following a baseline assessment. Participants in the MET condition received a personalized feedback report on their IPV and substance-use behaviors, consequences, and social norms beliefs. Results: Results supported the likely effectiveness of MET in short-term reduction of IPV behavior, increasing motivation for treatment seeking, and changing perceived norms for IPV and substance abuse (SA). Conclusions: Applications for brief MET interventions to facilitate voluntary treatment entry among substance-using IPV perpetrators are discussed.
Mbilinyi, L., Walker, D., Neighbors, C., Roffman, R., Zegree, J., & Edleson, J. (2009). Motivating Substance-Involved Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence to Seek Treatment: A Focus on Fathers. In R. Maiuro & C. Murphy (Eds). Motivational Interviewing and Stages of Change in Intimate Partner Violence. (chapter 8). New York: Springer Publishing. PDF
Walker, D., Neighbors, C., Mbilinyi, L., O'Rourke, A., Zegree, J., Roffman, R., & Edleson, J. (2010). Evaluating the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on the Perpetrator: The Perceived Consequences of Domestic Violence Questionnaire (PCDVQ). Journal of Intimate Partner Violence. 25 (9), 1684-1698. PDF
Abstract: Surprisingly, little is known about how IPV perpetrators perceive the consequences of their violent behavior. This article describes the development
and evaluation of the Perceived Consequences of Domestic Violence
Questionnaire (PCDVQ). The PCDVQ is a 27-item self-report instrument
designed to assess the consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV) as
perceived by the perpetrator. Data from 124 nontreatment seeking, male,
IPV perpetrators recruited from the community provided support for the internal consistency of the PCDVQ. Participants reported an average of 9.97 (SD = 4.57) consequences. Scores on the PCDVQ significantly predicted motivation for change, b = .19, t(113) = 2.03, p < .05, and treatment seeking, c2(df = 1) = 10.79, p < .01, odds ratio = 1.27 (95% CI: 1.10-1.46). Clinical implications of this instrument are discussed.
Neighbors, C., Walker, D., Mbilinyi, L.F., O'Rourke, A., Edleson, J.L., Zegree, J., et al. (2010). Normative misperceptions of abuse among perpetrators of intimate partner violence. Violence Against Women, 16(4), 370-386. PDF
Abstract: This research was designed to evaluate the applicability of social norms approaches to interventions with male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). Participants included 124-non adjudicated IPV perpetrating men recruited from the general population who completed assessment of their own IPV behaviors via telephone interviews and estimated the prevalence of behaviors in other men. Results indicated that IPV perpetrators consistently overestimated the percentage of men who engaged in IPV and their estimates were associated with violence toward
their partner over the previous 90 days. Findings provide preliminary support for incorporating social norms approaches to clinical applications.
Roffman, R.A., Edleson, J.L., Neighbors C., Mbilinyi, L. & Walker, D. (2008). The men's domestic abuse check-up: a protocol for reaching the non-adjudicated and untreated man who batters and who abuses substances. Violence Against Women. 14(5), 589-605. PDF
Neighbors, C., Walker, D. D., Roffman, R. A., Mbilinyi, L. F., & Edleson, J. L. (2008). Self-determination theory and motivational interviewing: Complementary models to elicit voluntary engagement by partner-abusive men. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 36, 126-136. PDF
Mbilinyi, L.F., Zegree, J., Roffman, R.A., Walker, D., Neighbors, C., & Edleson, J. (2008). Development of a marketing campaign to recruit non-adjudicated and untreated abusive men for a brief telephone intervention. Journal of Family Violence, 23(5), 343-351. PDF