INTIMATE JUSTICE II: FOSTERING MUTUALITY, RECIPROCITY, AND ACCOMMODATION IN THERAPY FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE

Abstract

This article presents part of the findings of a study of psychological abuse and physical violence in couples who voluntarily entered therapy. The study found that most of the men exhibited patterns of deception, devaluation, and dictatorial attitudes with their women partners and that these patterns were a considerable barrier to mutuality, reciprocity, and accommodation in the partnership. The researchers developed four interventions to challenge the men to change these patterns: true intentions, no free rides, the perception paradox, and the infallibility fallacy. The study was based on intimate justice theory, a developing clinical approach to therapy based on ethical theory.