Program for Alleviating Relationship Trauma and Stress for Intimate Partner Violence - Randomized Control Trial

This research study investigates the feasibility of a randomized control trial of a group-based treatment program for reducing stress, trauma, substance use, and use of violence among individuals who were court-mandated to attend a program after committing an act(s) of domestic violence. The study is in a 2-arm design with an intervention group and a control group.

Inclusion Criteria: * Must be male-identifying or prefer to be in a male-identifying group; * Must be a resident of Washington state; * Must be court-referred to a treatment program for using violence with an intimate partner; * Have sufficient English fluency and literacy skills to understand the consent process, procedures and questionnaires and have the ability to provide written informed consent; * Have access to the internet and an electronic device with adequate data capacity; to complete questionnaires online and attend online video conference groups; * Must be available and willing to attend at least 17 out of 20 scheduled online group sessions; and * Must be available and willing to complete the online computerized assessments, and phone interviews. Exclusion Criteria: * Insufficiently stable housing or internet connection to be able to join at least 17 group sessions; * Current participation in another experimental research study; * Expected medical hospitalization in the next six months from study enrollment period; * Current or expected physical incarceration (excluding house arrest or other forms of electronic monitoring) in the next six months from study enrollment period; * Inpatient hospitalization for mental health, substance use, suicide attempt or self-harm within past three months; * Inability to participate safely in the study intervention and without disrupting the group (in the opinion of principal investigator OR meeting any of the following criteria) * Past year history of a psychotic disorder or clinician confirmed active psychosis assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5); * Bipolar I disorder history or current severe level of mania assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5); * Acute suicidality with intent will be excluded from the study (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 \[SCID-5\]); * High levels of Psychopathy as defined by self-report psychopathy checklist (SRP-4); * Self-injurious behavior in past three months will require clinical assessment prior to participation in the program; * Acute homicidality with plan and/or intent; * Inability to join a group without intoxication. * Prior experience or exposure with Internal Family Systems (e.g. IFS therapy, IFS groups or retreats, current IFS practice, etc.)