Motivational strategies in interventions for intimate partner violence offenders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the effectiveness of interventions incorporating motivational strategies for intimate partner violence (IPV) offenders. The study examines the impact of motivational approaches on reducing physical and psychological IPV, increasing intervention retention, reducing treatment dropout, and lowering official recidivism rates. A systematic search of five major databases identified 1,134 studies, of which 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review, and seven in the meta-analysis. Findings indicate that IPV interventions incorporating motivational strategies were significantly more effective in increasing intervention engagement and reducing dropout rates. Specifically, offenders receiving motivational interventions were 1.73 times less likely to drop out compared to those in interventions without motivational components. While motivational approaches showed promising results in reducing physical and psychological IPV and official recidivism, these effects were not statistically significant. The review highlights the potential benefits of motivational techniques in enhancing IPV offender programs and suggests further research into their long-term impact on behaviour change.