Abstract
Research suggests that masculine socialization processes contribute to the perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) by men. Although this research has traditionally focused on men who strongly adhere to traditional gender norms, men who negatively evaluate themselves as falling short of these norms (a construct termed masculine discrepancy stress) have proven to be at increased risk of IPV perpetration. Likewise, men experiencing problems with emotion regulation, a multidimensional construct reflecting difficulties in effectively experiencing and responding to emotional states, are also at risk of IPV perpetration. In the present research, we tested the hypothesis that the link between discrepancy stress and IPV perpetration is mediated via difficulties in emotion regulation. Three hundred fifty-seven men completed online surveys assessing their experience of discrepancy stress, emotion-regulation difficulties, and history of IPV perpetration. Results indicated that discrepancy-stressed men's use of physical IPV was fully mediated by emotion-regulation difficulties. In addition, emotion-regulation difficulties partially mediated the association between discrepancy stress and sexual IPV. Findings are discussed in terms of the potential utility of emotion-focused interventions for modifying men's experience and expression of discrepancy stress and reducing perpetration of IPV.
Highlights
Research suggests that masculine socialization processes contribute to the perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) by men
Jakupcak and colleagues have suggested that IPV perpetration may function as a means of regulating the distressing emotions stemming from pressures to conform to precarious masculine norms (Jakupcak et al, 2002), a proposition aligned with laboratory research indicating that aggression may confer a mood-regulating function (Bushman, Baumeister, & Phillips, 2001)
Data Reduction and Sample Demographic Characteristics Given our goal of investigating heterosexual men's violence toward female partners, 41 men who did not identify as exclusively heterosexual on the demographics questionnaire were excluded from analyses
Summary
Research suggests that masculine socialization processes contribute to the perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) by men. Nearly 13.4% of women versus 3.5% of men have been injured physically as a consequence of IPV (Breiding et al, 2014) These data suggest the importance of gender socialization and masculine-relevant processes for understanding and preventing violence against women. Nonconformity to masculine norms has been associated with aspects of adaptive psychological functioning (Chu, 2014; Mahalik et al, 2003), men who fail to conform to masculine gender roles may be at increased risk of engagement in IPV (Vandello & Bosson, 2013) This risk can be understood in terms of Pleck's theoretical formulation of discrepancy stress (Pleck, 1981, 1995). They showed that participants who completed a brief training regime designed to bolster self-regulatory resources exhibited less violent inclinations (Finkel, DeWall, Slotter, Oaten, & Foshee, 2009) These data suggest that interventions addressing emotion-regulation difficulties have the potential to effectively reduce IPV perpetration
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