Specialist Versus Generalist Intimate Partner Violence Against Women (IPVAW) Perpetrators: Comparison on Sociodemographic, Violence, Psychological, Social Cognition, and Executive Functioning Variables

Abstract

Objective: Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a significant global public health concern,resulting in a growing scientific literature on different IPVAW perpetrator classifications. Although priorresearch has found differences in some variables from the theoretical explanatory models of IPVAW, only afew studies have used the specialist/generalist IPVAW perpetrators classification. This classification delineates individuals’ criminal histories: generalists possess diverse criminal records, while specialists exclusively engage in IPVAW offenses. Consequently, this study aims to (a) identify key variables distinguishing specialist and generalist IPVAW perpetrators, drawing from prior research, and (b) explore the relevance of social cognition and neuropsychological factors. Method: One thousand five males convicted of IPVAW crimes were categorized as either specialists (n = 523) or generalists (n = 482). Two block logistic regression analyses were conducted: one to ascertain which factors, identified in previous studies with other IPVAW perpetrator classifications, were most pertinent in differentiating between specialists/generalists, another incorporating additional psychological variables, and two new blocks: social cognition and executive functioning. Results: The results showed that age, having children, having a complaint for two or more types of violence (physical, psychological, and/or sexual violence), blaming the ex-partner, and scoring higher on perspective increased the likelihood of being a specialized perpetrator in IPVAW. Conversely, longer sentences, jealousy, exposure to IPVAW, distorted thoughts about violence,and meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) criteria for drug dependence reduced this likelihood. Conclusions: These findings underscore the heterogeneity amongIPVAW perpetrators and carry implications for crafting targeted interventions to enhance treatment adherence and diminish dropouts in this population.