Batterer program participants who repeatedly reassault - Psychopathic tendencies and other disorders

Approximately 20% of batterer program participants repeatedly reassault the ir partners despite intervention previous typology and personality research suggests that these men tend to be antisocial and psychopathic. Using reco mmended criteria for the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Version III (MCMI-III), the personality profiles of 580 men who did not reassault their partners, reassualted once, and repeatedly reassualted during a 15-month f ollow-up were grouped. The majority (60%) of the "repeat reassaulters" show no serious personality dysfunction or psychopathology. Only 11% have profi les suggesting conventional or primary psychopathic disorder The broadest c onception of psychopathy, including secondary psychopathy and both psychopa thic disorder and style applies to 54% of the repeaters. There is no signif icant difference among the reassault type for personality dysfunction, psyc hopathic disorder, or personality type, but a significantly greater portion of repeaters shows some psychopathic tendency. The findings contradict ove rgeneralizations about high risk batterers and imply that batterer counseli ng may be appropriate for many of them.