Physical Partner Violence Perpetration Research Articles

Child Abuse Exposure, Internalizing and Externalizing Trauma Sequelae, and Partner Violence Perpetration Among Young Adult Men

ABSTRACT Partner violence is a major public health concern. Theory and research connect exposure to abuse in childhood to partner violence in adulthood. The present study examined internalizing and externalizing trauma sequelae as mediators in the association between child abuse exposure and adult partner violence perpetration. Young U.S. adult men (N = 423) completed background measures assessing exposure to psychological, physical, and sexual child abuse, internalizing (symptoms of anxiety and depression) and externalizing (problems with anger and alcohol use) sequelae, psychological and physical partner violence perpetration, and follow‐up assessments regarding sexual violence perpetration over the course of 3 months. Negative binomial regression showed that problems with anger mediated the associations between child psychological abuse exposure and adult psychological violence perpetration and between child physical abuse exposure and adult psychological violence perpetration. Problems from alcohol use mediated the associations between child psychological abuse exposure and adult psychological, physical, and sexual violence perpetration. Although child abuse exposure was associated with internalizing sequelae, none of the indirect effects from child abuse exposure to adult violence perpetration via internalizing sequelae were statistically significant. These findings add to the extant literature supporting an intergenerational transmission of violence and underscore that men who experience trauma early in life may attempt to cope with such experiences via maladaptive acting out behaviors. Partner violence interventions may benefit from incorporating strategies that address trauma and provide healthy alternatives for coping with distress.

Using Dyadic Concordance Types to Understand Frequency of Intimate Partner Violence

Findings regarding women's perpetration of physical partner violence (PV) and bidirectional PV are a major source of controversy in the family violence literature. Questions remain as to how frequently women use PV, in comparison to men, when they are the sole perpetrators of PV and when involved in bidirectionally violent relationships. We also do not know much about women's perpetration and the bidirectionality of nonphysical forms of PV. To answer these questions, we used dyadic concordance types to categorize couples into bidirectionally violent, male-only violent, and female-only violent, and then analyzed the frequency with which the men and women used violence. We conducted these analyses for physical PV, verbal sexual PV, severe psychological PV, and controlling behaviors, among a population-based sample of 1,601 men, ages 18–59, who reported ever having a romantic relationship with a woman. Results indicated that for physical PV, severe psychological PV, and controlling behaviors, bidirectional PV was the most common, followed by female-only perpetration. Within bidirectionally aggressive relationships, women committed significantly more physical PV and controlling behaviors; there were no sex differences in frequency of PV perpetration for these three forms of PV for male-only versus female-only PV. The exception to this pattern was verbal sexual aggression, with men committing significantly more of these acts and male-only perpetration just as common as bidirectional aggression. Bidirectionally aggressive relationships were also the most aggressive. These findings lend support to a family systems perspective when seeking to understand PV and for assessing both victimization and perpetration when investigating PV.

Distinct and Overlapping Correlates of Psychological and Physical Partner Violence Perpetration.

Despite its high prevalence, adverse impact, and potential significance in understanding the onset of physical partner violence (PV), there has been surprisingly scant research on psychological PV perpetration. The present research, guided by social learning and attachment theories, addresses this gap in the literature by examining overlapping and distinct correlates for psychological and physical PV perpetration in emerging adults. Undergraduates (N = 504) with current or recent dating experience were recruited to complete a self-report survey. The survey included measures of emotional and physical child maltreatment, witnessing physical family violence, insecure attachment, hostility, and anger. The sample was 63% female and racially and ethnically diverse (50% non-White, non-Hispanic, or Hispanic of any race). Insecure attachment and anger, but not hostility or child maltreatment, were uniquely correlated with psychological PV, whereas only physical child maltreatment and witnessing physical family violence were unique correlates for physical PV. Neither emotional nor physical child maltreatment potentiated relations between insecure attachment, hostility, or anger and either form of PV. Although females were more likely to perpetrate psychological and physical PV, correlates for each form of PV did not vary by gender. The relations between physical child maltreatment and physical PV are consistent with a social learning theory explanation for physical PV. Insecure attachment and anger appear to be particularly important correlates for psychological, but not physical, PV. Thus, psychological and physical PV may have distinct risk profiles and may require different intervention targets.

Bridging the two Sides of a 30-Year Controversy over Gender Differences in Perpetration of Physical Partner Violence

In the longstanding controversy over gender differences in perpetration of physical intimate partner violence (PV), one side argues for gender asymmetry (i.e., mainly men perpetrate PV) and the other side argues for gender symmetry (i.e., women perpetrate PV in similar proportions to men). This article proposes an empirical bridge between the two sides of the controversy, through a typology that inherently recognizes both the symmetrical and asymmetrical aspects of PV. This empirical bridge may facilitate a broader and deeper view of the problem.

Current Controversies Concerning Gender Differences in Perpetration of Physical Partner Violence

The article provides a general background for this special issue, describing its starting point and goals, and their implementation guidelines.

Redefining Intimate Partner Violence Beyond the Binary to Include Transgender People

Since the mid-1970s, the field of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) has debated over gender differences in the perpetration of physical partner violence. However, this classical controversy has ignored transgender people since their gender does not seemingly fit the binary categories (male and female) first used to conceptualize IPV. Furthermore, sustained attention on this ceaseless argument has contributed to transgender people remaining invisible to the field of IPV. In this article, we redefine IPV to extend beyond the gender binary and invite the field to shift its focus to transgender people. Research suggests that as many as one in two transgender individuals are victims of IPV, but that multiple barriers prevent this group from acquiring protection that is afforded to others. Therefore, we propose that researchers direct their attention to this topic, and thus, inform police officers, victim advocates, and medical professionals who work directly to combat IPV for all.

Gender Arguments and Paradigmatic Challenges within Intimate Partner Violence Research: A Call for a more Inclusive Paradigm of Understanding Regarding Physical Partner Violence Perpetration

This paper suggests that the epistemology surrounding intimate partner violence (IPV) is flawed due to two areas in particular: 1) an overreliance on quantitative methodologies that lack the detailed and contextual information required for complex understandings of IPV and 2) the minimization of alternative theoretical perspectives on the meaning of gender. Although an ecological perspective to understanding IPV has been advocated by the World Health Organization as a useful theoretical framework from which to understand IPV (Krug et al. 2002), few empirical studies have tested this complex perspective. We suggest that broader research approaches may prove useful in shedding light on non-conventional IPV experiences, potentially broadening our understanding of this complex phenomenon.

Gender Differences in Risk Markers for Perpetration of Physical Partner Violence: Results from a Meta-Analytic Review

There is a lack of consensus on whether the use of intimate partner violence (IPV) is distinctly different between men and women, or if men and women share similar risk markers for perpetrating IPV. In this study, we compared 60 different risk markers for IPV perpetration for men and women using a meta-analysis. We found three out of 60 risk markers significantly differed between men and women. Our results suggest that there are more similarities between men and women than there are differences in risk markers for IPV perpetration.

It is and it is not: the Importance of Context when Exploring Gender Differences in Perpetration of Physical Partner Violence

The literature on gender differences in perpetration of physical partner violence (PV) consists of two opposing camps: those who emphasize gender symmetry, and those who emphasize gender asymmetry. We propose a both/and approach to this controversy by suggesting that the issue of gender symmetry is complex and dependent upon context. Furthermore, we discuss how the role of personal investment in political agendas contributes to this divide in the literature. We argue that this both/and approach to inquiry will significantly contribute to the understanding of gender differences in perpetration of PV, as well inform the development of interventions for PV.

A Preliminary Test of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide in Women Seeking Shelter From Intimate Partner Violence.

Women seeking shelter from intimate partner violence (IPV) are at greater risk of suicide ideation and attempts compared with women in the general population. A theoretically grounded understanding of suicide risk in shelter-seeking women is critical to improve assessment and management of suicide risk in this population. The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide (IPTS) proposes that suicide ideation results from hopelessness about thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. However, suicide ideation does not progress to death by suicide unless one has acquired the capability for suicide (i.e., pain tolerance and fearlessness about death) via repeated exposure to painful and fearsome events. The present study provides a preliminary test of the IPTS in a sample of 134 women seeking shelter from IPV. First, we examined factors theoretically related to suicide ideation, demonstrating that only at high levels of hopelessness was perceived burdensomeness associated with suicide ideation. The study also examined factors theoretically related to the acquired capability for suicide (ACS), indicating that physical partner violence perpetration was associated with ACS. These findings suggest that perceived burdensomeness, particularly in the context of increased hopelessness, is important in the assessment and treatment of suicide ideation. Furthermore, violence perpetration may indicate greater risk of the capability to die by suicide among women seeking shelter from IPV.

Antisocial Personality Disorder and Physical Partner Violence Among Single and Dual Substance-Abusing Couples

The current study examined how antisocial personality disorder (APD) and substance use disorder contributed to partners’ reports of physical partner violence among single and dual substance-abusing couples. Participants were 69 heterosexual couples entering treatment in which one or both partners met criteria for substance use disorder. APD diagnosis of the male partner was linked to significantly higher male-to-female and female-to-male perpetration of physical partner violence and victimization. Female partner’s APD diagnosis was associated with women’s reports of victimization by their male partners. Dual substance use diagnosis emerged as a moderator, in which the effect of men’s APD diagnosis on men’s perpetration of physical partner violence and victimization was significantly reduced if both partners had substance use disorder. Findings underscore the importance of both partners’ APD diagnosis and substance use status for understanding physical partner violence among single and dual substance-abusing couples.