Aggression In Intimate Relationships Research Articles

Psychological abuse is not a problem! Exploring the role of domestic violence myths in psychological revictimization.

Research provided evidence that IPV myths affect women's acceptance of psychological aggression in intimate relationships, increasing revictimization. However, no study to date has investigated how endorsement of IPV myths leads victims of psychological IPV to accept psychological aggression. In the present study (N = 207 young Italian women involved in heterosexual romantic relationships), we assessed acceptance of IPV myths, prevalence of psychological abuse (in the past 12 months), perception of the problematic nature, and acceptance of psychological aggression in intimate relationships. Results showed that the effect of IPV myths on participants' acceptance of psychological aggression was mediated by the tendency to consider psychological aggression as unproblematic. Notably, this effect was significant only for women who had experienced some form of psychological abuse by an intimate partner in the past 12 months. These findings have relevant implications for prevention strategies about risks of revictimization.

Cyber intimate partner aggression in adulthood: the role of insecure attachment and self-control

PurposeThis study aims to build on existing literature on face-to-face aggression in intimate relationships and adopts Finkel’s I3 theory to investigate the relationship between adult attachment style, dispositional self-control and cyber intimate partner aggression (IPA) perpetration and victimization.Design/methodology/approachParticipants (N = 173) 20–52 years of age (M = 32.75 years, SD = 7.73, mode = 29 years) completed a series of standardized online measures to assess anxious and avoidant attachment, dispositional self-control and experience of cyber IPA (psychological, sexual and stalking), as both a perpetrator and victim.FindingsAvoidant attachment was associated with increased perpetration of stalking and psychological abuse. Those high on avoidant attachment were also more likely to report that they were victims of cyber IPA psychological abuse and stalking. Self-control did not predict experience of cyber IPA, as a perpetrator or victim. Interactions between self-control and attachment were also non-significant.Originality/valueThis study addressed the paucity of cyber IPA research conducted with adult populations, by examining processes and factors to improve understanding of the experiences of online perpetration and victimization. The study also found evidence for the importance of impellance factors but not inhibiting factors (Finkel, 2008).

Evaluation of the Strength at Home Group Intervention for Intimate Partner Violence in the Veterans Affairs Health System

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious and prevalent public health issue that is interconnected with experiences of trauma, mental and physical health difficulties, and health disparities. Strength at Home (SAH) is a group intervention for persons using IPV in their relationships. Although previous studies have provided evidence of SAH's effectiveness in reducing IPV, its patient outcomes as implemented within organized health care have not been examined. To evaluate patient outcomes from implementation of SAH in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system. This quality improvement study evaluated patient outcomes from a national implementation and training program conducted between December 11, 2015, and September 24, 2021. Data were collected as part of treatment and submitted by clinicians at 73 VA health care facilities. Patients were 1754 veterans seeking care aimed at addressing and/or preventing their use of aggression in intimate relationships. They completed 1 pretreatment assessment and 1 follow-up assessment in the immediate weeks after group completion. Strength at Home is a 12-week trauma-informed and cognitive behavioral group intervention to address and prevent the use of IPV in relationships. Changes in IPV were measured with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. Changes in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were measured with the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, and alcohol misuse was measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. The study included 1754 participants (mean [SD] age, 44.3 [13.0] years; 1421 men [81%]), of whom 1088 (62%) were involved with the criminal legal system for IPV charges. Analyses indicate that SAH was associated with reductions in use of physical IPV (odds ratio, 3.28; percentage difference from before to after treatment, -0.17 [95% CI, -0.21 to -0.13]) and psychological IPV (odds ratio, 2.73; percentage difference from before to after treatment, -0.23 [95% CI, -0.27 to -0.19]), coercive control behaviors (odds ratio, 3.19; percentage difference from before to after treatment, -0.18 [95% CI, -0.22 to -0.14), PTSD symptoms (mean change, -4.00; 95% CI, 0.90-7.09; Hedges g = 0.10), and alcohol misuse (mean change, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.54-3.86; Hedges g = 0.24). In this quality improvement study of the patient outcomes after implementation of SAH, results suggested that the program was associated with reductions in IPV behaviors, PTSD symptoms, and alcohol misuse. Results also suggest that IPV intervention in routine health care at VA health care facilities was successful; extension to other organized health care systems could be warranted.

From Endorsement of Ambivalent Sexism to Psychological IPV Victimization: The Role of Attitudes Supportive of IPV, Legitimating Myths of IPV, and Acceptance of Psychological Aggression.

Research on intimate partner violence (IPV) has recognized psychological abuse as a precursor of physical and sexual violence in intimate relationships. However, risk factors in predicting women’s psychological abuse victimization in such a context are still unclear. The goal of the present work was to investigate the role of ambivalent sexism on psychological IPV victimization, by taking into account in the same study the effect of three additional social-psychological factors: women’s (i) attitudes supportive of IPV, (ii) endorsement of legitimating myths of IPV, and (iii) acceptance of psychological aggression in intimate relationships. A total of 408 Italian young women (Mage = 23.87; SD = 2.39) involved in non-marital heterosexual romantic relationships completed measures aimed at assessing (i) hostile and benevolent sexism, (ii) attitudes supportive of IPV, (iii) legitimating myths of IPV, (iv) prevalence of psychological abuse experienced within the last 12 months, and performed a task developed ad hoc to measure, and (v) acceptance of psychological aggression in intimate relationships. Results showed that the effect of ambivalent sexism on participants’ prevalence of psychological abuse was mediated by the endorsement of attitudes supportive of IPV and legitimating myths of IPV, as well as by acceptance of psychological aggression. Findings are discussed based on literature about ambivalent sexism, and attitudes and beliefs about IPV.

Alcohol Misuse and Women's Use of Aggression in Intimate Relationships: The Mediating Role of Motivations for Using Aggression.

The relationship between alcohol misuse and women's use of intimate partner violence (IPV) aggression has been well studied; however, there has been no research to date on women's self-reported motivations for use of IPV aggression (e.g., self-defense, control) as an underlying mechanism explaining this link. Accordingly, this study aims to examine whether the effects of alcohol misuse on IPV aggression vary as a function of women's motivations for using aggression. Participants were 412 ethnically diverse community women, between the ages of 18 and 65, in intimate relationships characterized by bidirectional IPV. The Motives and Reasons for IPV Scale was used to assess women's reasons for using IPV aggression. Results revealed that the tough guise motive (i.e., wanting to appear tough, intimidating, and willing to harm one's partner) explained the relationship between alcohol misuse and physical and sexual IPV aggression. Findings suggest the utility of incorporating the assessment of women's motivations for IPV aggression in an effort to provide better informed intervention addressing the underlying reasons women use IPV aggression.

Workplace Drinking and Aggression: The Role of Job-Focused Relationship Perceptions

Drawing on the literature on drinking and aggression in intimate relationships, this study examined [1] the association between the volume of alcohol consumed at work and workplace aggression, and ...

Alcohol, conflict, and aggression in intimate relationships: A dyadic approach.

Intimate partner aggression (IPA) is a critical public health problem that requires clear and testable etiological models that may translate into effective interventions. While alcohol intoxication and a pattern of heavy alcohol consumption are robust correlates of IPA perpetration, there has been limited research that examines this association from a dyadic perspective. In the present review, we discuss compelling reasons for understanding dyadic factors that assist our understanding of alcohol-facilitated IPA, review the relatively small number of studies that have investigated such factors, and provide a theoretical and methodological framework for researchers to conceptualize how to model alcohol-facilitated IPA from a dyadic framework.

Attachment insecurity and restrictive engulfment in college student relationships: the mediating role of relationship satisfaction

Purpose Studies on restrictive engulfment (RE) – a subtype of psychological aggression in intimate relationships – have focused either on insecure attachment or relationship satisfaction, not both. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate relationship satisfaction as a potential mediator of the associations between anxious and avoidant attachment and RE perpetration among college students. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 322 college students (178 women, 137 men, and seven other gender-identified) completed the experiences in close relationship inventory, relationship assessment scale, and RE subscale of the multidimensional measure of emotional abuse. Findings Among the sample, 89.3 and 90.5 percent of the college women and men, respectively, reported to have used isolating, restricting, monitoring, and controlling behaviors. The results of structural equation modeling revealed that all direct paths except for that from avoidant attachment to RE were significant. Moreover, significant indirect paths were identified from anxious and avoidant attachment to RE via relationship satisfaction. Research limitations/implications The results of this study should be interpreted with consideration of the study’s limitations. First, the data were drawn from a convenience sample of Turkish college students. Second, the design of the study is correlational; therefore, we cannot assume causality. Finally, this study utilized self-report and retrospective data. Practical implications Though the findings are preliminary, they may inform college counselors and other mental health practitioners about the nature of RE within college students’ dating relationships. College students who are unhappy with their dating relationships but still in those relationships (i.e. they choose not to leave) should be assessed for whether they are the perpetrators and/or recipients of psychological aggression, especially in light of the high rates of this form of aggression in the current and previous studies. Furthermore, assessing psychological dating aggression perpetrators for insecure attachment styles may help mental health professionals who work with college students, envisage the sessions toward areas in the need of improvement, such as their views of themselves and others. Self-esteem, feelings of insecurity and inadequacy in relationships, and dependency can be worked with these clients. Social implications The results of this study also have implications for the prevention of psychological aggression before it occurs. The need for prevention programs is evident in the high rates of psychologically controlling behaviors among college students. It may be useful to implement campus wide programs to raise awareness regarding psychological aggression, such as through events, seminars, posters, flyers, and talks with student groups. Originality/value Despite the limitations of this study, its findings offer insight into the factors that influence the perpetration of psychological aggression within dating relationships among college students. Adult attachment theory offers a useful lens for understanding the possible driving forces behind college students’ controlling behaviors toward their dating partners. In particular, college students who demonstrate an insecure attachment style – and especially an anxious attachment style – combined with low levels of relationship satisfaction appear to be at a high risk for perpetrating RE behaviors.

Gender, Escalatory Tendencies, and Verbal Aggression in Intimate Relationships.

This study examined the relationship between gender, escalatory tendencies, and the use of verbal aggression among four types of heterosexual dyads: couples with no verbal aggression, man-only verbal aggression, woman-only verbal aggression, and both-partner verbal aggression. The study was based on a community sample of 65 couples (130 men and women). The findings show that while there is no gender difference in the prevalence and incidence of verbal aggression, there is a difference in the levels of motivation to put one's partner "in his or her place" and avoid a confrontation with one's partner. Thus, there is a gender difference in escalatory tendency. This difference is evident in the greater motivation to put one's partner in his or her place observed among women, as compared with men, and in the lower motivation to avoid confrontation observed among women, as compared with men. Moreover, unlike among men, among women, the motivation to put one's partner in his place is higher than the motivation to avoid confrontation. It follows that the escalatory tendency among women is greater than the escalatory tendency among men. The findings also demonstrate significant gender differences in motivations and escalatory tendencies within the different types of dyads examined. These findings establish the relationship between escalation and aggression and also provide a glimpse into the mechanisms that sustain that relationship.

Facebook Use, Facebook Jealousy, and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration.

Social networking sites (SNS) are now deeply ingrained in our interpersonal world. Past research has shown various impacts of SNS on intimate relationships, from facilitation of relationship initiation to new sources of conflicts between romantic partners. In two studies, we examined Facebook-related jealousy as a risk factor for the perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in adolescents and young adults. In study 1, 1508 participants completed an online survey assessing Facebook use, Facebook jealousy, and IPV perpetration. Facebook jealousy emerged as a significant mediator of the association between Facebook use and IPV. In study 2, we used a dyadic perspective to investigate the joint contribution of both partners' Facebook jealousy to IPV perpetration. In a sample of 92 youth (46 couples), results showed a significant interaction between own and partner Facebook jealousy. More specifically, own Facebook jealousy was associated with IPV perpetration only at high levels of partner Facebook jealousy. These findings suggest that online behaviors have meaningful implications for offline conflicts and aggression in intimate relationships.

Intimate partner aggression-related shame and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: The moderating role of substance use problems.

A dearth of literature has examined the consequences of women's use of aggression in intimate relationships. Women's use of aggression against their intimate partners, regardless of their motivation (e.g., self-defense, retaliation), may elicit shame. Shame, in turn, may contribute to the maintenance and/or exacerbation of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, which are commonly experienced in this population. Further, emerging research suggests that emotionally avoidant coping strategies, such as substance use, may strengthen the relation between shame and PTSD symptoms. The goal of the present study was to examine whether women's shame concerning their use of intimate partner aggression is associated with their PTSD symptoms, and whether drug and alcohol use problems moderate this association. Participants were 369 community women who had used and been victimized by physical aggression in an intimate relationship with a male partner in the past six months. The intimate partner aggression-related shame × drug (but not alcohol) use problems interaction on PTSD symptom severity was significant. Analysis of simple slopes revealed that women's intimate partner aggression-related shame was positively associated with their PTSD symptoms when drug use problems were high, but not when drug use problems were low. Findings have implications for the potential utility of PTSD treatments targeting a reduction in shame and maladaptive shame regulation strategies (i.e., drug use) in this population. Aggr. Behav. 42:427-440, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intimate Relationships and Personal Distress: The Invisible Harm of Psychological Aggression.

Aggression in intimate relationships is pervasive, has been implicated in personal distress, and yet may not be perceived as harmful. Two studies (cross-sectional, longitudinal) examined whether being the target of psychologically aggressive behavior by a partner is uniquely associated with personal distress, beyond the effects of general couple functioning, perpetrating aggression, or experiencing physical aggression. New instances of psychological aggression by a partner predicted increases in personal distress. Study 2 also examined participants' perceptions of what causes them stress. Although psychological aggression by a partner predicted personal distress, participants did not perceive their relationship as a source of stress. This suggests a pattern of "invisible harm" in which individuals victimized by psychological aggression may not recognize the harm they are experiencing.

Probable posttraumatic stress disorder and women's use of aggression in intimate relationships: the moderating role of alcohol dependence.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent among individuals who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and is associated with aggression in intimate relationships. The present study examined whether alcohol dependence (AD) attenuates the relation between PTSD and IPV-victimized women's use of physical, psychological, and sexual aggression. Participants were recruited from the community and included 147 women who engaged in substance use and experienced IPV (80.3% Black; M age=38.24 years, SD=10.62; M income=$14,323, SD=$12,832). Women with (vs. without) AD reported using significantly more physical and psychological aggression (ηp (2) =.12 and .03, respectively). The probable PTSD × AD interaction emerged as a significant correlate of physical and sexual aggression (ηp (2) =.03). Post hoc analyses revealed higher levels of physical aggression among women with probable PTSD and AD and no-PTSD and AD compared to women with probable PTSD and no-AD (Cohen's ds=1.09 and 0.63, respectively) and women without PTSD and no-AD (Cohen's ds=0.92 and 0.60, respectively). Further, women with PTSD and AD reported higher levels of sexual aggression than women without PTSD and AD (Cohen's d=0.80). Findings suggest the utility of identifying and treating PTSD-AD among IPV-victimized women.

Relationship self-efficacy protects against mental health problems among women in bidirectionally aggressive intimate relationships with men.

Research examining predictors or correlates of mental health problems among women who experience or use aggression in intimate relationships typically assesses factors that confer risk. Such research has primarily examined intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization or aggression frequency or severity as central risk factors for mental health problems. In the general population, one factor demonstrating a protective effect on mental health problems is self-efficacy. Research on self-efficacy among women who experience or use aggression in intimate relationships is nearly absent. The purpose of this study was to determine if self-efficacy specific to a woman's ability to manage various relationship problems (i.e., relationship self-efficacy [RSE]) played a protective role against the severity of posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms among 354 community-residing women who were victimized and used aggression (bidirectional IPV). Regression analyses found that RSE uniquely predicted each mental health outcome above and beyond what was accounted for by the frequency of physical, sexual, and psychological victimization and aggression. Further, RSE fully mediated the relationships between psychological victimization and each mental health outcome. If replicated, and in circumstances where it is determined safe to do so, findings suggest RSE as a promising avenue for future research to improve the health and well-being of women in bidirectionally aggressive relationships.

Factor Structures for Aggression and Victimization Among Women Who Used Aggression Against Male Partners

Theories and measures of women's aggression in intimate relationships are only beginning to be developed. This study provides a first step in conceptualizing the measurement of women's aggression by examining how well three widely used measures (i.e., the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS), the Sexual Experiences Survey [SES], and the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory [PMWI]) perform in assessing women's perpetration of and victimization by aggression in their intimate relationships with men. These constructs were examined in a diverse sample of 412 African American, Latina, and White women who had all recently used physical aggression against a male intimate partner. The factor structures and psychometric properties of perpetration and victimization models using these measures were compared. Results indicate that the factor structure of women's perpetration differs from that of women's victimization in theoretically meaningful ways. In the victimization model, all factors performed well in contributing to the measurement of the latent victimization construct. In contrast, the perpetration model performed well in assessing women's physical and psychological aggression but performed poorly in assessing women's sexual aggression, coercive control, and jealous monitoring. Findings suggest that the power and control model of intimate partner violence (IPV) may apply well to women's victimization but not as well to their perpetration of violence.

The Development of Dating Violence: What Doesn’t Develop, What Does Develop, How Does it Develop, and What Can We Do About It?

Before starting this commentary, I need to put my biases onthe table: I believe that healthy development depends onhealthy relationships. This is the central tenet of our nationalnetwork – Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Vio-lence Network (PREVNet). In considering intimate partnerviolence (IPV), therefore, I am predisposed to look at howthese maladaptive relationship styles develop, what rolerelationships play in guiding youths onto troubled pathwaysand, conversely, what role relationships can play in divert-ing youths onto healthy development and relationship path-ways. This set of papers provides a strong foundation forconsideringthe development ofdatingaggression, aswellasthe mechanisms that might underlie the development andmaintenance of aggression in intimate relationships. Withthis developmental perspective, we can also consider poten-tial strategies to prevent and intervene to move youths offthis troubled pathway and onto a healthy relationshippathway.What Doesn’t Develop?The collection of papers in this Special Section providesimportant pieces in the puzzle of how youths come to apoint where they use aggression in their intimate relation-ships. Langhinrichsen-Rohling and Turner (2012), who re-port on an intervention for teen mothers, provide a goodstarting point in our consideration of what critical relation-ship capacities do not develop by reviewing six character-istics of respectful nonviolent relationships as identified bythe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 2008).These are: (a) beliefin nonviolent conflict resolution; (b) effec-tive communication skills; (c) ability to negotiate and adjust tostress; (d) belief in partner’s right to autonomy; (e) shareddecision-making; and (f) trust. We can hypothesize that youthswho engage in intimate partner violence fail to develop anunderstanding of, and capacity for, these elements of healthyrelationships. Langhinrichsen-Rohling and Turner note that areduced understanding of what constitutes a healthy intimaterelationship has been associated with experiencing IPV. Con-sistent with this perspective of IPVas a problem with develop-ment, Chiodo et al. (2012) found that delinquency and sexualharassmentperpetrationpredictedmembershipinagroupchar-acterized by mutual intimate partner violence. Although delin-quency is different than IPV, youths who are delinquent mayfail to consider the consequences of their behaviors on othersand fall short in non-violent conflict resolution.Ehrensaft and Cohen (2012) point to the lack of devel-opment in self-regulation for youths who are both antisocialand engage in IPV. Within the brain, a lack of developmentof self-regulation implies less capacity for executive func-tioning, cold cognition, and effective social problem solv-ing. This lack of neural regulation is reflected in impulsive,uninhibited and difficult social behavior. In our observa-tions, we found that aggressive youths’ behaviors wereunpredictable: They were more likely to engage in “mixed”behaviors – one moment they were prosocial, followedimmediately with an aggressive behavior, with no opportu-nity for the peer to respond (Pepler et al. 1998). Theseyouths had not learned the essential skills for positiveexchanges in social relationships. Consistent with this,Reyes et al. (2012) note that youths exposed to family orpeer violence have fewer opportunities to learn constructiveconflict resolution strategies than peers who are not exposedto relationship violence.

The relationship between attachment, personality and antisocial tendencies in a prison sample: A pilot study

This study examined the role of adult attachment and personality in relation to antisocial tendencies (i.e. convictions for violence and interpersonal problems in romantic relationships) in Norwegian prison inmates (N=92). Attachment styles and personality were measured using self-report questionnaires (RSQ; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994; and NEO-FFI, Costa & McCrae, 1992a). The prison inmates scored higher on avoidant than on anxious attachment style. While age and agreeableness (negatively associated) emerged as significant predictors of violence, anxious attachment explained most of the variances in aggression in intimate relationships. The study suggests that different types of antisocial tendencies could have different attachment and general personality correlates.

Trait Anger as a Mediator of Difficulties With Emotion Regulation and Female-Perpetrated Psychological Aggression

Recent research has demonstrated the devastating impact of female-perpetrated psychological aggression in intimate relationships broadly and dating relationships specifically. With the perpetration of psychological aggression in dating relationships occurring at shockingly high rates, prevention programming for dating violence should target this form of aggression. Toward this end, it is important to understand the antecedent conditions that increase one's risk for perpetrating psychological aggression. This study sought to examine two possible risk factors for perpetrating psychological aggression among female undergraduates (N = 145), namely, emotion regulation and trait anger. Findings showed that difficulties with emotion regulation and trait anger were associated with increased psychological aggression perpetration, and trait anger mediated the link between emotion regulation and psychological aggression. Implications of these findings for prevention programming and future research are discussed.

Stress, anger, and verbal aggression in intimate relationships: Moderating effects of individual and dyadic coping

Verbally aggressive exchanges between intimate partners are more likely during times of stress. Therefore, the present study examines (i) whether partners’ proneness to anger mediates the association between stress and verbal aggression and (ii) the degree to which individual and dyadic coping moderate associations among stress, anger, and aggression. Effective individual and dyadic coping reduces the effects of stress on aggression. Moreover, dyadic coping may attenuate associations between stress and both anger and verbal aggression. Individuals reporting adaptive and maladaptive coping typically differed in verbal aggression when stress was low, but not when stress was high. This is consistent with the notion that stressors govern strong negative emotion displayed in marriage. Implications of these findings for interventions that mitigate the effects of stress on relationships are discussed.

Aggression in Intimate Relationships: An Examination of Female Dominance and Aggression

Several researches have shown that both men and women involve in intimate partner aggression within their relationship. In relation to this, this study attempts to examine the relationship between female’s dominance (disparagement, restrictiveness, and authority), and their aggression (physical and psychological). The study employed survey design. It was carried out among a sample of 337 married women (wives) in Shiraz City, Iran, who were identified as engaging physical and psychological aggressions. Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) was employed to measure aggression; meanwhile dominance was measured using Hamby Dominance Scale (HDS). The study employed correlations test to determine the relationships between variables, and Regression Analysis was used to identify the factors that contribute aggressions. The study found that there were positive significant relationships between dominance (disparagement and restrictiveness) and female physical aggression. There were also positive significant relationships between dominance (disparagement, restrictiveness and authority) and psychological aggressions. The result of Regression Analysis showed that the selected factors contributed 10.9% in explaining the psychological aggression. However, two predictor variables of authority and disparagement were found to be significant in explaining psychological aggression. These findings imply that dominance is an important variable to be considered in the analysis of intimate partner aggression.