Citation

Holtzworth-Munroe A, Rehman U, Herron K. Behav. Ther. 2000; 31(4): 603-630.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S0005-7894(00)80034-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present study compared anger and hostility across subtypes of physically aggressive husbands (i.e., family only, FO; low-level antisocial, LLA; borderline/dysphoric, BD; generally violent/antisocial, GVA) and nonviolent comparison groups (i.e., maritally distressed, NVD; and nondistressed, NVND). Men completed self-report questionnaires of general and spouse-specific (i.e., directed at wife) anger; their level of anger in response to hypothetical nonmarital and marital conflict situations was coded, as were their angry and hostile behaviors during marital problem discussions. Wives reported on husbands' spouse-specific anger on questionnaires and reported anticipated husband responses to hypothetical marital conflict situations. BD and GVA men had the highest levels of anger and hostility. Among violent men, FO men had the lowest levels; on most measures, they did not differ significantly from NVD men. Thus, level of anger and hostility was related to level of perpetration of violence, with the most severely violent men having the most anger and hostility.