Interventions to reduce intimate partner violence perpetration by men who use substances: A systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis examine the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration by men who use substances. A search of three databases (PsycINFO, Medline, and Scopus) identified nine trials (n = 1,014 men) that met inclusion criteria. The interventions were categorized into three groups: (1) integrated IPV and substance use (SU) interventions (n = 5), (2) IPV interventions with adjunct SU components (n = 2), and (3) stand-alone IPV interventions (n = 2). Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing were the most common approaches. Individual trial results showed short-term reductions in SU (≤3 months, n = 2 trials) and IPV perpetration at various follow-up periods (n = 3 trials). However, meta-analysis results indicated that integrated IPV and SU interventions did not significantly outperform treatment-as-usual (TAU) in reducing IPV or SU. The findings highlight a lack of conclusive evidence supporting the effectiveness of existing interventions and underscore the need for future research to explore intervention design, duration, and outcome measurement strategies.