Psychological Intimate Partner Aggression Research Articles

Sleep problems and physical pain as moderators of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and aggression in returning veterans.

This study investigated sleep problems and physical pain as moderators of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and aggression among returning veterans. Prior research has demonstrated associations between PTSD symptoms and aggression, but little work has sought to identify moderators of this relationship. Sleep problems and physical pain are both common clinical problems among veterans and have theoretical links to aggression. Participants were 103 returning service members and veterans recruited from the greater Boston area and enrolled in the VA Translational Research Center for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Stress Disorders (TRACTS). Aggression outcomes included physical and psychological intimate partner aggression (IPA), as well as physical and psychological general aggression (GA). Variables were measured via self-report questionnaires, with the exception of PTSD symptoms, which were assessed via clinician interview. Bivariate correlations revealed significant associations between PTSD symptoms, sleep problems, physical pain, and aggression outcomes. Both sleep problems and physical pain significantly moderated the relationship between PTSD symptoms and physical GA, such that this relationship became stronger at higher levels of these moderator variables. However, moderation was not found for the other aggression outcomes. Findings suggest that sleep problems and physical pain strengthen the relationship between veterans' PTSD symptoms and physical aggression toward others. Although further replication and elucidation is needed, these factors may disinhibit aggression among those at higher risk due to their PTSD symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record

Deconstructing the associations between executive functioning, problematic alcohol use and intimate partner aggression: A dyadic analysis.

Problematic drinking and executive functioning deficits are two known risk factors for intimate partner aggression (IPA). However, executive functioning is a multifaceted construct, and it is not clear whether deficits in specific components of executive functioning are differentially associated with IPA perpetration generally and within the context of problematic alcohol use. To address this question, the present study investigated the effects of problematic drinking and components of executive functioning on physical IPA perpetration within a dyadic framework. Participants were 582 heavy drinking couples (total n = 1164) with a recent history of psychological and/or physical IPA recruited from two metropolitan cities in the USA. Multilevel models were used to examine effects within an actor-partner interdependence framework. The highest levels of physical IPA were observed among actors who reported everyday consequences of executive functioning deficits related to emotional dysregulation whose partners were problematic drinkers. However, the association between executive functioning deficits related to emotional dysregulation and IPA was stronger towards partners who were non-problematic drinkers relative to partners who were problematic drinkers. No such effect was found for executive functioning deficits related to behavioural regulation. Results provide insight into how problematic drinking and specific executive functioning deficits interact dyadically in relation to physical IPA perpetration. [Parrott DJ, Swartout KM, Eckhardt CI, Subramani OS. Deconstructing the associations between executive functioning, problematic alcohol use and intimate partner aggression: A dyadic analysis. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:88-96].

Mistrust of others as a mediator of the relationship between trauma exposure and use of partner aggression.

Prior research indicates a connection between the experience of trauma and use of intimate partner aggression (IPA), but little work has focused on core cognitive schemas that can be influenced by trauma. In the current study, we examine the cognitive schema of mistrust in others as a mediator of the relationship between trauma exposure and IPA use. This schema may lead to IPA through distorted social information processing that can escalate relationship conflict. The sample consisted of 83 heterosexual community couples. All variables were assessed via written questionnaires, and IPA frequency was calculated by incorporating both partners' reports on each member of the couple. For males, mistrust significantly mediated the relationships between trauma exposure and both physical and psychological IPA use. For females, mistrust did not mediate the significant relationship between trauma exposure and IPA use. In analyses using the actor-partner interdependence model, both actor and partner mistrust uniquely predicted physical and psychological IPA use. The findings of the study suggest the importance of examining core schemas that may underlie trauma reactions and use of IPA. (PsycINFO Database Record

Examining intimate partner aggression assessment among returning veterans and their partners.

There is a growing research base focusing on intimate partner aggression (IPA) in combat veterans, although little work has focused on IPA assessment. In the current study, the authors investigated IPA assessment among 65 male Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) combat veterans and their female partners. Specifically, we compared overall levels of veteran- and partner-perpetrated IPA, conducted concordance analyses to examine the degree of interpartner agreement on IPA occurrence and frequency, and investigated both veterans' and partners' relationship satisfaction and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as correlates of concordance. Results indicated that female partners perpetrated higher levels of physical IPA than did the male veterans, according to both veteran and combined reports. Concordance analyses revealed low to moderate levels of agreement between veterans and their partners on the perpetration of physical and psychological IPA, with particularly low agreement on the veterans' physical IPA. Female partners' relationship satisfaction was associated with reporting less of the veterans' and their own IPA relative to the veterans' reports, and their PTSD symptoms were associated with reporting more of the veterans' and their own IPA. In contrast, the veterans' PTSD symptoms were associated with reporting less of their own IPA relative to their partners' reports. The findings emphasize the need for those researching and treating IPA among military couples to assess IPA perpetrated by both members of the relationship and to consider possible factors that might impact the accuracy of IPA reporting.

Agreement between veteran and partner reports of intimate partner aggression.

We examined intimate partner aggression (IPA) reporting concordance between veterans and their partners and investigated relationship satisfaction, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and relationship attributions as correlates of IPA reporting discrepancies. The sample consisted of 239 veterans of different service eras and their intimate partners. Veterans and partners reported their physical and psychological IPA perpetration and victimization over the past 6 months. Methodological improvements over prior concordance studies included the use of clinician-assessed PTSD symptoms and the assessment of relationship attributions via observational coding of couples' conflict interactions. Results suggested low to moderate levels of agreement between veterans and partners and indicated that relationship satisfaction was associated with reporting less IPA than one's partner reported, replicating prior concordance findings. Previous concordance findings with self-reported PTSD symptoms were also reproduced in the current study using clinician-assessed PTSD symptoms. Veterans' PTSD symptoms were associated with reporting less IPA than their partners reported and partners' PTSD symptoms were associated with reporting more IPA than the veterans reported. Additionally, we found an association between relationship attributions and reporting discrepancies. For both dyad members, making more positive and less negative relationship attributions was associated with reporting less IPA than one's partner reported. Findings underscore the difficulty of obtaining objective self-reports of adverse behavior and highlight factors that may influence such reports. Clinically, this information could be used to better identify cases in which obtaining collateral reports of IPA are particularly warranted.

The Relationship of Intimate Partner Aggression to Head Injury, Executive Functioning, and Intelligence

Measures of head injury, executive functioning, and intelligence were given to a community sample composed of 102 male perpetrators of intimate partner aggression (IPA) and 62 nonaggressive men. A history of head injury and lower mean score on a measure of verbal intelligence were associated with the frequency of male-perpetrated physical IPA as reported by male perpetrators and their female partners. Lower mean scores on a measure of verbal intelligence also predicted frequency of psychological IPA perpetration. Using the perpetrator subtypes outlined by Holtzworth-Munroe et al. (2000), analyses revealed that compared with other groups, the most severely aggressive subtypes (i.e., borderline-dysphoric and generally violent-antisocial) were the most likely to report a history of head injury and to have significantly lower mean scores on a neuropsychological test of verbal intelligence. The possible role of neuropsychological factors in IPA perpetration and implications for prevention and intervention programs are discussed.

Physical, Psychological, and Sexual Intimate Partner Aggression Among Newlywed Couples: Longitudinal Prediction of Marital Satisfaction

This study examined associations between physical, psychological, and sexual intimate partner aggression (IPA) perpetration during the first year of marriage (T1) and victim marital satisfaction one (T2) and two (T3) years later among a sample of 202 newlywed couples. Prevalence rates of all forms of IPA were consistent with those documented in prior research. Higher levels of all types of IPA generally were associated with lower victim marital satisfaction at all time points, when controlling for initial levels of satisfaction. Couples who reported severe bidirectional psychological IPA demonstrated lower husband and wife marital satisfaction at T2 and lower husband satisfaction at T3 than couples who reported husband-only, wife-only, or no psychological IPA. Analyses examining the relative predictive abilities of all forms of IPA perpetration showed that psychological IPA was the most consistent unique contributor of victim marital satisfaction. Study findings highlight the importance of psychological IPA, in addition to physical IPA, in examinations of correlates of marital satisfaction.

Personality and intimate partner aggression in dating relationships: the role of the “Big Five”

Although personality is shown to predict negative relationship experiences, few researchers have used a structural model of personality to study the ways that personality contributes to intimate partner aggression (IPA). This study investigates the five-factor model of personality and its associations with both the use and receipt of psychological, physical, and sexual IPA in 179 men and 301 women. Each of the five factors of personality was associated with at least one type of IPA perpetration or victimization. The dimensions of neuroticism and agreeableness were the strongest predictors of IPA particularly for women. Results are discussed in terms of why personality should be considered as a predictor for both the use and receipt of IPA, why sex differences emerged, and future research that should be conducted.