Research has attempted to elucidate men and women’s proximal motivations for perpetrating intimate partner violence (IPV). However, previous research has yet to clarify and resolve contention regarding whether motives for IPV are gender-neutral or gender-specific. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare motives for physical IPV perpetration among a sample of men (n = 90) and women (n = 87) arrested for domestic violence and court referred to batterer intervention programs. Results demonstrated that the most frequently endorsed motives for IPV by both men and women were self-defense, expression of negative emotions, and communication difficulties. With the exception of expression of negative emotions and retaliation, with women endorsing these motives more often than men, there were no significant differences between men and women’s self-reported reasons for perpetrating physical aggression. The implications of these findings for future research and intervention programs are discussed.

Dating abuse (DA) victimization, alcohol use, and marijuana use are some of the most prevalent public health concerns among adolescents, particularly among Latinx adolescents. DA victimization was a robust predictor of subsequent alcohol and marijuana use among white and Black/African American adolescents, but existing longitudinal studies have not examined these relations among Latinx adolescents. The present study examined whether Latinx adolescents’ psychological and physical DA victimization predicted their alcohol and marijuana use one year later. We also explored sex differences in these relationships across time. A school-based sample of 315 Latinx adolescents (M age = 15.06 years; 52.6% girls) completed baseline, self-report assessments (Time 1 [T1]) and 89.6% of the sample completed follow-up assessments one year later (Time 2 [T2]). Results of a path analysis revealed that paths did not vary by sex. T1 psychological DA victimization predicted T2 alcohol use, but not T2 marijuana use. T1 physical DA victimization did not predict T2 alcohol or marijuana use; however, T1 marijuana use predicted T2 physical DA victimization. Latinx adolescents’ DA victimization may have important implications for subsequent substance use. Targeting alcohol use, marijuana use, and DA in culturally-grounded intervention programs may reduce Latinx adolescents’ continued victimization and substance misuse.

Women in treatment for substance use report higher levels of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and perpetration than the general population. Despite an abundance of research with this vulnerable population, no study has examined the research reactions of women in substance use treatment who participate in a study of IPV. Thus, we investigated the research reactions of women (N = 64) in substance use treatment who completed a self-report measure on their psychological, physical, and sexual IPV. We also examined whether shame proneness—an affective predisposition to scrutinize and criticize oneself— moderated the association between reports of IPV and negative emotional research reactions. This information is important for institutional review boards (IRBs) and researchers in determining the most ethical and appropriate protections for participants in IPV research. Findings demonstrated that victims and perpetrators of IPV did not differ from nonvictims/nonperpetrators on negative emotional research reactions. Victims of psychological aggression reported more positive research experiences than nonvictims. Shame proneness did not moderate the relationship between IPV reports (victimization or perpetration) and negative emotional reactions, although shame proneness did exert a main effect on negative emotional research reactions. Findings add to a growing body of research on participant reactions to IPV research. Our results further support the safety of self-report IPV research.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious, devastating, and prevalent problem. IPV places women at risk for negative health consequences, including increased mental health disorders. The majority of research to date has focused on mental health disorders among women in domestic violence shelters, and research is needed that examines mental health disorders among a broader range of women experiencing IPV. Therefore, this study examined the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and substance abuse disorders in a community sample of IPV victims (N = 94) using diagnostic interviews. Results showed that the majority of women met diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder, with PTSD being the most common mental health disorder. Furthermore, psychological abuse was a significant predictor of both PTSD and depression, whereas physical aggression did not predict these outcomes. Implications of these findings for treatment and intervention work with battered women are discussed.

Previous research has suggested that the occurrence of dating violence is influenced by various motivations, including self-defense. While some data have suggested that females are more likely to use physical aggression in self-defense, assessment measures of self-defense have been limited in several notable ways, hindering efforts at fully understanding the myriad of reasons contributing to self-defensive aggression. The current study sought to examine motivations for physical aggression among male and female college students using a contextual self-report measure of self-defensive aggression designed specifically for the current study. Results showed that numerous motivations for physical aggression were endorsed by both males and females and, contrary to expectations, females were not more likely to use aggression in self-defense. Implications of these findings for future research and dating violence prevention programming are discussed.

Psychological aggression is a devastating and prevalent problem in college dating relationships. In fact, most students in dating relationships experience psychological aggression each year. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of research on proximal risk factors for psychological aggression among females specifically. Knowing the conditions under which psychological aggression is most likely to occur will aid researchers and clinicians in developing and implementing more effective prevention programs. The current study descriptively examined proximal factors to psychological aggression perpetration among female undergraduate students (N = 97). Findings showed that most psychological aggression occurred during the period from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., while participants were alone with their partners, and on the weekend. Participants reported a diverse number of motivations for perpetrating psychological aggression, with a lack of emotion regulation being an especially prominent motivation. Implications of these findings for future research and prevention programming are discussed.

Violence between dating couples is a serious and prevalent problem among college students (Shorey, Cornelius, & Bell, 2008). Social-cognitive theories of aggression (e.g., Berkowitz, 1990) propose that perpetrators may have more maladaptive cognitive schemas that increase risk for aggression than non-perpetrators. Thus, this study examined differences between perpetrators and non-perpetrators of dating violence on early maladaptive schemas, which are rigidly held cognitive and behavioral patterns that guide how individuals encode and respond to stimuli in their environments (Young, Klosko, & Weishaar, 2003). Within a sample of female (n = 242) and male (n = 193) college students, results demonstrated that many early maladaptive schema domains were associated with psychological and physical dating violence perpetration, although mostly for women. In addition, the schema domain of impaired autonomy showed medium-to-large differences between female perpetrators and non-perpetrators, whereas the domain of impaired limits showed a medium-to-large difference for male perpetrators and non-perpetrators of physical aggression. These findings add to a growing body of literature on risk factors for dating violence, suggesting that early maladaptive schemas may be associated with individual differences in aggression risk. The results also further support social-cognitive models of aggressive behavior.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major problem. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of research on the associations between IPV perpetration, victimization, and mental health among women. This study examined these associations among a sample of women arrested for domestic violence and court-referred to batterer intervention programs (BIPs; N = 88). Using self-report screening instruments for Axis I and Axis II mental health problems, results showed very high rates of mental health problems among women. In addition, both IPV perpetration and victimization were associated with increased mental health symptoms. Women who met diagnostic cutoff scores reported greater IPV perpetration/victimization than women who did not meet those cutoff scores. Implications of these findings for future research and IPV interventions are discussed.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem. Research and theory suggests that emotion dysregulation is an important correlate of IPV and thus may be a fruitful target of intervention efforts. However, examination of emotion dysregulation among women arrested for domestic violence, an understudied population, is nonexistent. The current study extended prior research by examining what components of emotion dysregulation related to IPV perpetration while controlling for substance misuse and antisocial traits, two robust correlates of IPV, in women arrested for domestic violence and court-ordered to batterer intervention programs (N = 71). In the current study, the emotion dysregulation component of Impulse Control Difficulties was significantly associated with the perpetration of physical IPV. Findings suggest a link between impulse control during negative emotional experiences and the perpetration of IPV among women arrested for domestic violence. Implications regarding findings and future research and intervention applications are discussed.

It is estimated that upward of 15.5 million children live in homes where they are exposed to physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV). Research indicates that IPV can have deleterious effects on children, including a variety of psychosocial problems, although there is much variability in outcomes of children exposed to IPV. Individual characteristics of the parents involved in IPV may be an important predictor of negative psychosocial outcomes for children. The current study expanded upon prior research and examined the simultaneous associations of paternal characteristics, including paternal IPV perpetration, and child psychosocial functioning (i.e., externalizing, internalizing, and attentional problems) among 153 men arrested for domestic violence and court ordered to attend batterer intervention programs. Analyses examined the relations between paternal alcohol and drug use, antisocial personality traits, hostility, posttraumatic stress symptoms, distress tolerance, IPV perpetration, and men's ratings of their child's psychosocial functioning. Results indicated that poor overall child psychosocial functioning was positively related to paternal antisocial personality symptoms and hostility. Subscale analyses revealed that child attentional problems were positively related to paternal hostility. Child externalizing problems were positively associated with paternal antisocial personality symptoms. The implications of these findings for future research and intervention are discussed.