Citation

Halford WK, Sanders MR, Behrens BC. Fam. Process 2000; 39(2): 219-235.

Affiliation

School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Nathan Queensland, Australia. K.Halford@mailbox.gu.edu.au

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Family Process Institute, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10907148

Abstract

Based on a developmental social learning analysis, it was hypothesized that observing parental violence predisposes partners to difficulties in managing couple conflict. Seventy-one engaged couples were assessed on their observation of parental violence in their family of origin. All couples were videotaped discussing two areas of current relationship conflict, and their cognitions during the interactions were assessed using a video-mediated recall procedure. Couples in which the male partner reported observing parental violence (male-exposed couples) showed more negative affect and communication during conflict discussions than couples in which neither partner reported observing parental violence (unexposed couples). Couples in which only the female partner reported observing parental violence (female-exposed couples) did not differ from unexposed couples in their affect or behavior. Female-exposed couples reported more negative cognitions than unexposed couples, but male-exposed couples did not differ from unexposed couples in their reported cognitions.

Language: en