Navigating violence beliefs: How implicit theories shape IPV professional practice

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the implicit theories (ITs) of various professionals working in Anti-Violence Centers to understand how their beliefs and discourses influence interventions and contribute to shaping their professional identity in the context of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Research has consistently shown that professionals’ ITs deeply inform their everyday practice along with explicit, more formalized theories. In this respect, educational training and networking are essential to mitigate the risks of implicit minimization and victim-blaming, which, although not universal, have been identi- fied among certain professionals in the field. Method: A total of 78 female professionals from 32 Anti-Violence Centers in Italy were interviewed. The transcripts of these interviews were analyzed using a statistical software for textual analysis (T-LAB). Results: The analyses revealed that professionals tend to hold polarized views on IPV, with their narratives predominantly focusing on the female-victim vs. male-perpetrator dichotomy. This split narrative suggests a never resolved contrast between individual and sociocultural theories on the etiology of IPV. This contrast is also likely to lead to fragmentation, lack of com- munication, and ineffective services for IPV victims. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for a complex and multifaceted understanding of IPV, which acknowledges the diversity of professionals involved in addressing it. They also emphasize the importance of adequate supervision, training, and interprofessional collaboration to foster a more integrated and reflective approach as well as create awareness on impli- cations of professionals’ ITs in their everyday practice.