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Abstract
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A multivariate approach was used to determine the pattern of predictors associated with engaging in dating violence. Predictors were selected whose relationship to dating violence has been established by earlier research: attitudes toward violence, sex-role attitudes, romantic jealousy, general levels of interpersonal aggression, verbal aggression, and verbal and physical aggression received from one's partner. Participants included 305 introductory psychology student volunteers (227 females and 78 males) who completed a set of scales related to dating relationships. Expecting different patterns of predictors to emerge for men and women, we performed separate multiple regression analyses for each. Of the set of predictors employed, receipt of physical violence from one's partner emerged as the largest predictor of expressed violence for both men and women. In addition, higher scores on attitudes toward violence and verbal aggression, and less traditional sex-role attitudes emerged as significant predictors of expressed violence for men. For women, less accepting attitudes toward violence, more traditional sex-role attitudes, feelings of romantic jealousy, higher general levels of interpersonal aggression, and verbal aggression were predictive of expressed violence. The implications of our findings for future research are discussed.
VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study by Bookwala et al. was to identify the predictive patterns of violence in dating relationships between men and women.
METHODOLOGY:
A quasi-experimental cross-sectional design was applied with a cluster probability sampling of 305 (F:227, M:78) introductory psychology students at a large university in Western Pennsylvania. Subjects were given a self-reporting survey, and anticipating different results for men and women a separate multiple regression analysis was performed for both groups. A preliminary multivariate analysis for variance (MANOVA) was performed to determine, on the range of predictor variables, any gender differences. The students responded to questions regarding their current or most recent relationship. The modal length of the relationships was more than one year. The first survey, a subset of Straus's (1979) Conflict Tactics Scale, assessed the degree that subjects expressed violence against their partner. Attitudes toward violence were assessed with the Adversarial Sexual Beliefs Scale (Burt, 1980), sex-role attitudes were identifie through a modification of the Macho Scale, jealousy was assessed with the Passionate Love Scale (Hatfield and Rapson, 1987), general levels of interpersonal aggression were identified with questions constructed by the researchers (with a Cronbach's alpha value of .63), verbal aggression was measured with a subset of Straus' Conflict Tactics Scale, and received violence was assessed with the previously mentioned Expressed Violence Scale (Straus, 1979).
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
Over half of the men and women reported an aggressive act against their partner at least once, and the trend for violence to increase when it was mutual was significant (.01). Although the prevalence of violence was high, the most frequent forms were of a less serious nature. The following two results applied to both men and women: 1) Receipt of violence from the partner was the most strongly correlated and highly predictive variable with violence expressed towards one's partner (.001) and 2) Accepting attitudes toward violence often coexist with gender stereotyping (.001). An unexpected finding for women was tha they reported greater levels of verbal aggression than men; women were more likely than men to engage in violence except through threat with a weapon and forcing sex on their partner. Men were more accepting of violence (.05), more traditional in their sex role attitudes (.001), and more expressive with interpersonal violence in their adult years (.01). The anticipated predictors of expressed violence for women were jealousy (.05), verbal aggression (.001), and interpersonal aggression (.001). The unanticipated predictors were low scores on adversarial sex beliefs (.05) and traditional sex roles (.05). The anticipated predictors of expressed violence for men were adversarial sex beliefs (.01) and verbal aggression (.01). The unanticipated predictor of violence was less traditional sex roles (.05). For women, jealousy was correlated with expressed violence (.01), verbal aggression (.05), their partner's verbal aggression (.01) and scores on the macho scale(.01), but for men jealousy was correlated with verbal aggression (.05). This suggested that jealousy operates differently for men and women who are violent.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
The authors noted that while gender appears to be an important variable in examining dating violence, many models do not account appropriately for this variable. They propose that future models consider gender an important organizin variable. In addition the authors suggested that future research identify the degree of injury in self-reporting surveys because perceptions of violence are less reliable than specifically identified physical manifestations of violence.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
N1 - Call Number: J, AB-513
KW - College Student Research
KW - Adult Female
KW - Adult Male
KW - Adult Offender
KW - Adult Victim
KW - Adult Violence
KW - Female Victim
KW - Female Offender
KW - Female Violence
KW - Male Offender
KW - Male Violence
KW - Male Victim
KW - Pennsylvania
KW - Dating Violence Causes
KW - Dating Violence Offender
KW - Dating Violence Predictors
KW - Gender Differences
KW - Partner Violence
KW - Violence Against Women
Language: en |