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14 J. Fam. Violence 1 (1999)

handle is hein.journals/jfamv14 and id is 1 raw text is: Journal of Family Violence, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1999

MCMI-III Results for Batterer Program
Participants in Four Cities: Less Pathological
Than Expected
Edward W. Gondolfl
Previous research using diagnostic inventories describe the extent and nature
of psychopathology among batterers. MCMI-III scores from batterers in a
multisite program evaluation (n = 840) were used to replicate this previous
research. As in previous batterer research using the MCMI-I and MCMI-II,
the MCMI-III results suggest a complex diversity of psychological problems
that does not readily conform to previous profiles. Howeve, less than half of
the men had scores suggesting a personality disorder (BR scores > 85), as
opposed to 80% in a previous batterer study using the MCMI-II. Only one
quarter of the men (25%) show evidence of a severe mental disorder
Narcissistic or antisocial tendencies were evident in 39% of our batterer
sample, reflecting the sense of entitlement often attributed to batterers.
Voluntary, as opposed to court-referred men, were more likely to have
depressive and dependent tendencies and evidence of severe disorders. Our
multisite sample appears to be less pathological than previous batterer
samples and samples of psychiatric or drug outpatients.
KEY WORDS: batterers; psychopathology; MCMI; spouse abuse.
The psychopathology of men who batter women has drawn increasing
attention in recent years. Some clinical researchers have called for more ex-
tensive psychological assessment of batterers and treatment of specific psy-
chological disorders in batterer programs (Geffner, 1995; Saunders, 1993).
Previous personality tests with batterer program participants suggest that the
majority of batterers show evidence of personality disorders, but a diversity
of personality traits and disorders (Beasley and Stoltenberg, 1992; Hamberger
'Mid-Atlantic Addiction Training Institute, 1098 Oakland Avenue, Indiana University of
Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705.
1

0885.7482/99/0300-0001$16.0010 0 1999 Plenum Publishing Corporation

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