Healing from Violence: Latino Men's Journey to a New Masculinity Book

Foreword     xv
Preface     xxi
Acknowledgments     xxv
What Is Intimate Partner Violence?     1
How Serious Is the Problem of Intimate Partner Violence?     2
Worldwide Intimate Partner Violence Statistics     2
Intimate Partner Violence Statistics in the United States and Canada     3
Pregnancy and Intimate Partner Violence     4
Latinos in the United States     5
Other Ethnic Groups and IPV     7
Immigrant Women and IPV     8
Intimate Partner Violence in Latin America     9
About the Men Whose Voices Are Heard in This Book     11
The Interview Participants     11
Meet the Participants     11
Summary     18
Why Do Men Assault Their Partners?     21
Theoretical Perspectives on the Etiology of Partner Abuse     21
Ecological Approach     23
Sociocultural Approach     26
Social Learning Approach     27
Cognitive-Behavioral Approach     28
Clinical Model/Psychopathology     29
Typologies of Partner Abusive Men     30
Attachment Theory and Its Application to the Violent Man     33
Psychodynamic/SelfPsychology Approach     34
Theories of Etiology of IPV Among Latinos     35
What Puts Men at Risk to Be Violent in the Home? Risk Factors     37
Childhood Violence     37
Low Socioeconomic Status, Unemployment, and Low Educational Achievement     38
Alcohol Use and Abuse     39
Alcohol in Latino Populations     41
Other Risk Factors in Partner Abuse     43
Behavioral Deficits     43
Insecure or Avoidant Attachment     43
Psychopathology     43
Age     43
Anger     44
Stress     45
Depression and Low Self-Esteem     45
High Levels of Marital Conflict     45
Generalized Aggression/Antisocial Traits     46
Traditional Gender Roles: A Non-Risk Factor?     46
Acculturation/Immigration and Cultural Change     47
Protective Factors     48
Latino Culture: Approaches to Therapy     51
Definition of Culture     51
Interdependence     53
Familismo     53
Values in Interpersonal Relations: Respeto, Personalismo, and Simpatia     54
Importance of Religious Beliefs     56
Gender Roles      59
Gender Schemas and Immigration     62
Socioeconomic Status Versus Race     63
The Immigration Experience     64
Acculturation and Acculturation Stress     65
Perception of Mental Illness and Attitudes Toward Treatment     66
Ecological Context     68
Family Organization     69
Migration History and Acculturation     70
Effective Therapeutic Modes for Latinos     71
Effective Therapeutic Techniques     74
Characteristics of the Culturally Aware Therapist     76
Therapist Credibility     77
Treatment of Partner Abusive Men     78
Does Treatment for Partner Abusive Men Work?     82
Latino Men and Treatment for IPV     82
Who Are the Men Being Treated for IPV? Results of a Survey     85
Ethnicity of Survey Respondents     87
Urban Versus Rural Origin     87
Number of Children in Family of Origin     88
History of Abuse and Neglect     88
History of Witnessing IPV     89
Father's Alcohol Abuse or Alcoholism     89
Mother's Status in the Family of Origin     90
Religious Identification     90
Marital Status      91
Immigration Status     91
Particulars of the IPV Incident     92
Children Witnessing IPV     92
Low Socioeconomic Status     93
Low Academic Achievement     93
Employment Status and Unemployment     94
Alcohol Abuse by Respondents     94
Age of Respondents     95
Depression     96
Relationship Conflict     97
Generalized Aggression     97
Extended Family and Social Support     98
Level of Acculturation     98
Summary of Survey Findings     99
Additional Findings From the Survey: Major Risk Factors     101
The Qualitative Method: Researching Gender Roles, History of Family Violence, and Coping Skills in Partner Abusive Latino Men     103
Qualitative In-Depth Interviews     105
Sample     105
Development of the Interview Schedule     106
Translation and Back Translation of the Interview Schedule     107
Pilot Study of the Interview Schedule     107
Data Collection     108
Transcription of the Interview     108
Data Analysis Using the Constant Comparative Method     108
Communication of the Outcome of the Study      109
Violence as a Way of Life     110
Violence in the Family of Origin: Normalizing the Experience     110
Traditional Gender Roles as the Bedrock of Violence Toward Women     112
Today's Perpetrator Is Often Yesterday's Victim: Child Abuse and Neglect in the Family of Origin     124
Childhood Abuse     124
Witnessing Abuse     126
Childhood Trauma and Abandonment Leading to a Fragile Sense of Self     127
Maladaptive Coping Skills     128
Alcoholism     128
Lack of Relationship Skills     131
Uncontrolled Anger     132
Environmental Stressors     134
Financial Stress     134
Being an Immigrant, Often Unwelcome: Acculturation Stress     135
Immigration Difficulties     135
Discrimination     138
Protective Factors: What Is It About Latino Culture That Makes Partner Violence Unacceptable in Theory?     141
Positive Aspects of Male Gender Roles     143
Familismo     145
The Nuclear Family     145
Extended Family     147
Spirituality     150
Importance of Spiritual Values     150
Spiritual Teaching and IPV      151
What Was It Like for the Men to Be in Treatment for Partner Abuse?     153
The Experience of Group Therapy: What Made Treatment Work     154
The Latino Group     154
Use of Spanish Videos     155
Ethnicity of Therapist     156
Thoughts and Feelings About Group Therapy     160
Group Behaviors     169
Helpful Aspects of the Group     169
Negative Group Behaviors     170
Respeto in the Group     171
Therapist Interventions     172
Effective Teaching Style: Clarity and Structure     172
Effective Therapeutic Style: Simpatia and Empathy     173
Ineffective Teaching Style: Authoritarian and Unfocused     175
Ineffective Therapeutic Style: Confrontation and Blaming     177
Organizational Factors     180
The Setting     180
Making Decisions About Personal Change and Healing: Outcomes of Treatment     183
Treatment Outcomes     185
Changes in Attitude and Behavior     186
Change of Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Others     188
Healing From Past Trauma     190
Contributions to the Group Experience     191
Overcoming Substance Abuse and Dependence      194
The Need for Public Education     196
Knowing the Legal Consequences of IPV     196
Knowing About IPV Prevention and Treatment     197
Dissemination of Knowledge About IPV in Mexico and Latin America     198
Personal Transformation: Redefining Self as Person, Husband, and Father     203
Changes in Gender Role Perceptions     204
Appreciation of Gender Equality     207
Importance of Family and New Parenting Skills     211
Learning to Be a Father     212
Sharing the Information They Have Received     215
Culturally Specific Topics Identified as Helpful Treatment Components     216
Emphasis on Parenting Education     217
Extensive Discussion of Rigid Male Gender Roles, Especially Machismo     219
Acknowledgment of Discrimination Against Immigrants and Women     221
Discussion of Difficulties Stemming From Immigration     223
Open Discussion of Sexual Abuse in Relationships     225
Inclusion of Spirituality Related to the Prevention of IPV     227
Partner Abusive Latino Men on a Journey to Redefine Their Masculinity for the Twenty-First Century     231
Cultural Adaptation of Treatment for Latino Partner Abusive Men     232
Adaptations to the Program      233
Implementation of Cultural Additions and Adaptations     233
Cultural Stories     234
Teaching Method     235
Appendixes     235
Masculinity/Machismo and Human Rights     236
Sexual Abuse in Relationships     238
Discrimination     239
Immigration and Marital Conflict     240
Parent Education     242
Spirituality and Violence Prevention     243
The Pilot Program     246
Where Do We Go From Here?     247
Appendix A     249
Appendix B     261
References     269
Index     285