NCJ Number
223761
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 19 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2004 Pages: 623-638
Date Published
June 2004
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study tested the hypothesis in which it was predicted that couples in which there was a history of parental physical violence in the man’s family of origin (exposed couples) would show more negative communication and more negative cognition during conflict discussions.
Abstract
The overall pattern of results is consistent with the developmental social learning model proposed in previous research studies. Early exposure to violent parental models of conflict management is associated with negative communication and dominant behaviors during conflict discussion as a young adult. It was also found that exposed and unexposed couples did not differ on relationship satisfaction or commitment to remain in the relationship, despite the more negative conflict management and greater reported violence in the exposed couples. Skills-based relationship education programs can enhance couple conflict management and such programs, delivered to couples in which the male partner was exposed to family-of-origin violence, might reduce the risk of future violence. Prior research indicates that men who report witnessing violence between their parents have a substantially higher risk of being in a violent relationship as adults. In 2000, researchers found that exposed men showed more negative conflict communication than unexposed men when talking to their fiancés. Also, women interacting with exposed men also showed more negative communication than other women. The primary aim of this study was to replicate and extend the 2000 study, with a younger sample of couples, who have never been in a line-in relationship. Sixty couples were recruited for the study from the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. Tables, notes, and references