Domestic Violence Inventory (DVI) Pre-Post
DVI Pre-Post

U.S. Courts adjudicate domestic violence cases daily. Judges may mandate domestic violence treatment (e.g., anger management, individual or group counseling and psychotherapy). Or domestic violence treatment may be a condition or requirement of probation. And mental health professionals refer domestic violence offenders for treatment.

In the past, domestic violence offenders were assumed to have been rehabilitated, cured or positively changed by virtue of having completed their assigned treatment. Research has shown (Lipsey, 1999; Eckhardt, 2004; Mechanic et. al., 2000; and Broome, et. al. 2007) that this is not necessarily the case. Some domestic violence perpetrators do not benefit from treatment. These findings underscore the need for objective domestic violence treatment outcome measures. Expecting all domestic violence perpetrators to want to change may be unrealistic, especially when treatment is court ordered or required by one's probation officer.

The DVI Pre-Post is a domestic violence treatment effectiveness test. It is administered to domestic violence patients (offenders, probationers or clients) twice: once before treatment (pretest) and again after treatment (posttest). Comparison of pretest and posttest DVI Pre-Post scale scores is the main purpose of the comparison report.

Everybody that is aware of the client's domestic violence history wonders: "Was treatment effective?". The DVI Pre-Post helps answer that question. To review a DVI Pre-Post comparison report click on the Comparison Report link. Similarly, to review full research citations click on the citations link.