Community-Based Intervention for Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: A Randomized Control Trial

A community-based intervention, The Moms' Empowerment Program, was tested with 181 mothers exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) during the past year. Following consent, a sequential randomized control assignment procedure allocated participants to 3 conditions: mother-plus-child received intervention (M + C), child-only received intervention (CO), and a wait list comparison group (CG). A 2-level hierarchical linear model consisting of repeated observations within individuals and individuals assigned to conditions was used to evaluate the effects of time from baseline to postintervention comparing the 3 conditions and from postintervention to 8-month follow-up for both intervention conditions. Outcomes were individual women's positive parenting and depression. Women in the M + C condition showed the greatest improvement over time of the 3 conditions in both positive parenting and depression. Without intervention parenting grew significantly worse over time for women in the comparison group. Thus, this short-term group intervention program was successful in showing moderate change in both domains.