Typological approaches to violence in couples: A critique and alternative conceptual approach

Typological approaches have become highly influential in the research on violence in couples, and yet issues related to such approaches have not been well addressed. We review the utility of batterer typologies, both for clinical applications and for understanding violence in couples. The principal types of batterer typologies are discussed, along with a number of issues that might limit their utility for explaining the etiology and developmental course of partner violence in couples. We propose a dyadic model of couples' aggression, and we explain ways that such a model provides better conceptualization of the development of the couples' violence over time, including issues of persistence and desistance of violence, and that can help inform prevention and treatment.