Gender, Stress and Violence in the Adult Relationships of a Sample of College Students

Abstract

Research is reviewed on violence among married and unmarried students. A survey of 308 undergraduates was conducted to explore the relationships between gender, stress and subjective rates of violence experienced as an adult and experienced and observed in childhood. To measure violence, ten behaviours were rated on five-point scales (labelled `never' to `very often'). Over 74 percent of the sample reported having expressed violence and 62 percent having received violence at some time in an adult relationship. Eliminating symbolic (threatened) violence, the frequencies were 52 and 62 percent, respectively. Single respondents not in a relationship, those in a relationship and married students were examined separately. Females were more likely to report both expressed and received violence across most groups. The correlation between expressed and received violence was also higher for females. Multiple regression analyses indicated different predictor variables across the groups and genders, but abuse received as a child emerged as the most frequent.