DOI: 10.3886/icpsr20361.v1
title: Impact Evaluation of a Special Session Domestic Violence Intervention Program in Connecticut, 2001-2004
title: Version 1

description: This study focused on an evaluation of EVOLVE, a newly developed 26-week, 52-session skill building, culturally competent, psycho-educational curriculum-based intervention for male domestic violence offenders with female victims. The curriculum was implemented in three large urban courts that have specialized domestic violence court sessions, judicial monitoring, specialized court staff throughout the judicial process, enhanced advocacy for victims, a collaborative team approach to case processing, and collaboration with networks of involved community service providers. The comparison site (called Explore), also a large urban court, had some specialized court staff and enhanced victim advocacy, as well. It was selected as the comparison because of these court features, the use of a more traditional 26-week intervention (that met just once each week), its high volume, and the high rate of involvement of men of color, which was similar to rates found at the EVOLVE sites at the time the evaluation was proposed. The data file contains 545 cases and 872 variables.
description: The study sought to determine: (1) the impact of men's participation in the EVOLVE program on rates of subsequent physical and emotional abuse; (2) the impact of men's participation in EVOLVE on their partners' safety, safety planning, experience of court and well-being; (3) the rates of program completion compared to the more general 26-week program in place in other court sites in the state, particularly across racial and ethnic groups; and (4) how the victim advocates' role was affected by this new resource.
description: Data were collected in interviews at program intake and at 3, 6, and 12 months after intake. Information was also obtained from program files and from police records for criminal history and new arrests that led to conviction.
description: The initial interviews with the men included the most extensive set of measures. They consisted, first, of a background questionnaire that covered demographics, family status, parents' behavior (drug or alcohol problems, physical abuse of each other or respondent, employment status or crime problems), and their hopes or plans for their relationship with the victim. The Michigan Alcohol Screening Test was also administered. This test consisted of items about drinking-related behavior and problems. The men were also asked to complete the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III. It contained sub-scales that correlate highly with DSM-IV categories. The men's interview also included the physical assault and sexual coercion scales of the revised Conflict Tactics Scale. They were supplemented with a version of the Profile of Psychological Abuse, modified to report the program participant's own behavior (for example, "How often do you become angry or upset if your partner wants to be with someone else and not with you?"). The Profile consisted of behavioral statements scored on seven frequency options, ranging from "never" to "daily". It generated five sub-scales: Jealous Control, Ignore, Ridicule Traits, Criticize Behavior, and Fear of Abuse. Finally, the men were asked about their partners' responses, and their sense of their partners' fear (also derived from the Profile of Psychological Abuse). In addition, data on the men's criminal histories were obtained. Subsequent interviews with the men at 3, 6, and 12 months after intake asked primarily about abuse during the interim, their partners' responses, their partners' fear, any changes in employment or family status, and their hopes or plans for their relationship. These data were supplemented with data on subsequent convictions (general and family violence), and sentences to periods of incarceration.
description: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection: Created variable labels and/or value labels.; Standardized missing values.; Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes..
description: Presence of Common Scales: Standardized measures included the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI)-III, the physical assault and sexual coercion scales of the revised Conflict Tactics Scale, and the Profile of Psychological Abuse, including the Fear of Abuse sub-scale.
description: Response Rates: Not available.
description: Datasets: 
 
 DS1: Dataset
description: face-to-face interview, telephone interview 
The final report for this study mentions 544 cases (420 in EVOLVE and 124 in Explore) were completed. The data file has 545 cases (421 in EVOLVE and 124 in Explore). ICPSR was unable to determine the cause of this discrepancy.
The final report mentions interviews conducted with the men's victims. These data were not made available to ICPSR for dissemination.
The final report mentions interviews conducted with advocates who specialized in post-conviction work with domestic violence victims. These data were not made available to ICPSR for dissemination.
description: Men who participated in the EVOLVE or Explore programs in the state of Connecticut between 2001 and 2004.
description: Precise sampling information was not provided to ICPSR. The study was designed for men who were referred to and started one of the two programs involved (EVOLVE or Explore). Some men (over 50) who were enrolled in EVOLVE were not retained in the evaluation because they were either returned to court as inappropriate for the group (due to insufficient literacy, severe pathology, or other issues incompatible with participation in a group format that included "homework" assignments) or never appeared for their first group session.