Psychological aggression is the most prevalent form of aggression in dating relationships, with women perpetrating as much, if not more, psychological aggression than men. Researchers have advocated for an examination of the consequences that follow psychological aggression for the perpetrator, in hopes that this will lead to innovative intervention programs aimed at ameliorating dating violence. The current study investigated the self-reported consequences of having perpetrated psychological aggression against a dating partner among female college students in a current dating relationship (N = 115). Participants endorsed numerous consequences as having followed their perpetration of psychological aggression, including both punishing and potentially reinforcing consequences. Furthermore, findings indicated that for some perpetrators, psychological aggression may function as a method of emotion regulation. Implications of these findings for future research and intervention are discussed.
BakerC. R.StithS. M. (2008). Factors predicting dating violence perpetration among male and female college students. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma, 17, 227-244.
2.
BellK. M.NaugleA. E. (2008). Intimate partner violence theoretical considerations: Moving towards a contextual framework. Clinical Psychology Review, 28, 1906-1107.
3.
BonemM.Stanley-KimeK. L.CorbinM. (2008). A behavioral approach to understanding domestic violence: A functional assessment based on batterer identified contingencies. Journal of Behavior Analysis Offender and Victim Treatment and Prevention, 1, 209-221.
4.
BreslinF. C.RiggsD. S.O’LearyK. D.AriasI. (1990). Family precursors, expected and actual consequences of dating aggression. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 5, 247-258.
5.
CapaldiD. M.ShorttJ. W.CrosbyL. (2003). Physical and psychological aggression in at-risk young couples: Stability and change in young adulthood. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 49, 1-27.
6.
CorneliusT. L.ResseguieN. (2007). Primary and secondary prevention programs for dating violence: A review of the literature. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12, 364-375.
7.
CorneliusT. L.ShoreyR. C.BeebeS. M. (2010). Self-reported communication variables and dating violence: Using Gottman’s marital communication conceptualization. Journal of Family Violence, 25, 439-448.
8.
FlynnA.GrahamK. (2010). “Why did it happen?” A review and conceptual framework for research on perpetrators’ and victims’ explanations for intimate partner violence. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15, 239-251.
9.
FollingstadD. R. (2007). Rethinking current approaches to psychological abuse: Conceptual and methodological issues. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12, 439-458.
10.
FollingstadD. R.CoyneS.GamboneL. (2005). A representative measure of psychological aggression and its severity. Violence and Victims, 20, 25-38.
11.
FollingstadD. R.WrightS.LloydS.SebastianJ. A. (1991). Sex differences in motivations and effects in dating violence. Family Relations, 40, 51-57.
12.
FritzP. A. T.O’LearyK. D. (2004). Physical and psychological partner aggression across a decade: A growth curve analysis. Violence and Victims, 19, 3-16.
13.
GratzK. L.PaulsonA.JakupcakM.TullM. T. (2009). Exploring the relationship between childhood maltreatment and intimate partner abuse: Gender differences in the mediating role of emotion dysregulation. Violence and Victims, 24, 68-82.
14.
JakupcakM.LisakD.RoemerL. (2002). The role of masculine ideology and masculine gender role stress in man’s perpetration of relationship violence. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 3, 97-106.
15.
KauraS. A.LohmanB. J. (2007). Dating violence victimization, relationship satisfaction, mental health problems, and acceptability of violence: A comparison of men and women. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 367-381.
16.
LawrenceE.YoonJ.LangerA.RoE. (2009). Is psychological aggression as detrimental that physical aggression? The independent effects of psychological aggression on depression and anxiety symptoms. Violence and Victims, 24, 20-35.
17.
LeisringP. A. (2009). What will happen if I punch him? Expected consequences of female violence against male dating partners. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma, 18, 739-751.
18.
MiltenbergerR. G. (2003). Behavior modification: Principles and procedures (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
19.
MurphyC. M.HooverS. A. (1999). Measuring emotional abuse in dating relationships as a multifactorial construct. Violence and Victims, 14, 39-53.
20.
O’LearyK. D. (1999). Psychological abuse: A variable deserving critical attention in domestic violence. Violence and Victims, 14, 3-23.
21.
ProsperoM. (2007). Mental health symptoms among male victims or partner violence. American Journal of Men’s Health, 1, 269-277.
22.
RiggsD. S.CaufieldM. B. (1997). Expected consequences of male violence against their female dating partners. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 12, 229-240.
23.
ShoreyR. C.CorneliusT. L.BellK. M. (2008a). A critical review of theoretical frameworks for dating violence: Comparing the dating and marital fields. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 13, 185-194.
24.
ShoreyR. C.CorneliusT. L.BellK. M. (2008b). Behavior theory and dating violence: A framework for prevention programming. Journal of Behavior Analysis of Offender and Victim Treatment and Prevention, 1, 298-311.
25.
ShoreyR. C.CorneliusT. L.IdemaC. (2011). Trait anger as a mediator of difficulties with emotion regulation and female-perpetrated psychological aggression. Violence and Victims, 26, 271-282.
26.
ShoreyR. C.FebresJ.BrasfieldH.StuartG. L. (2011). A descriptive investigation of proximal factors to female perpetrated psychological aggression in dating relationships. Partner Abuse, 2, 131-146.
27.
ShoreyR. C.MeltzerC.CorneliusT. L. (2010). Motivations for self-defensive aggression in dating relationships. Violence and Victims, 25, 662-676.
28.
ShoreyR. C.RhatiganD. L.FiteP. J.StuartG. L. (2011). Dating violence victimization and alcohol problems: An examination of the stress-buffering hypothesis for perceived support. Partner Abuse, 2, 31-45.
29.
ShoreyR. C.ShermanA. E.KivistoA. J.ElkinsS. R.RhatiganD. L.MooreT. M. (2011). Gender differences in depression and anxiety among victims of intimate partner violence: The moderating effect of shame-proneness. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 1834-1850.
30.
SimonelliC. J.IngramK. M. (1998). Psychological distress among men experiencing physical and emotional abuse in heterosexual dating relationships. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 13, 667-681.
31.
StetsJ. E.HendersonD. A. (1991). Contextual factors surrounding conflict resolution while dating: Results from a national study. Family Relations, 40, 29-36.
32.
StraightE. S.HarperF. W. K.AriasI. (2003). The impact of partner psychological abuse on health behaviors and health status in college women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18, 1035-1054.
33.
StrausM. A.HambyS. L.Boney-McCoyS.SugarmanD. B. (1996). The revised conflict tactics scale (CTS2): Development and preliminary psychometric data. Journal of Family Issues, 17, 283-316.
34.
StrausM. A.HambyS. L.WarrenW. L. (2003). The Conflict Tactics Scales handbook. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.
35.
TaftC. T.SchummJ.OrazemR. J.MeisL.PintoL. A. (2010). Examining the link between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and dating aggression perpetration. Violence and Victims, 25, 456-469.
36.
TempleJ. R.FreemanD. (2011). Dating violence and substance use among ethnically diverse adolescents. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 26, 701-718.
