Explaining the Frequency of Intimate Partner Violence by Male Perpetrators: Do Attitude, Relationship, and Neighborhood Variables Add to Antisociality?

• NCJ Number: 234993
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 38 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2011 Pages: 309-331
• Author(s): Grant T. Harris; N. Zoe Hilton; Marnie E. Rice
• Date Published: April 2011
• Length: 23 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the explanatory power of a set of variables reflecting enduring antisocial traits in male perpetrators' total record of the frequency of intimate partner violence.

Abstract

The authors measured potential causes of prolonged male violence against female intimate partners in four domains: enduring antisocial traits, perpetrator's attitudes and values, aspects of the relationship, and neighborhood characteristics. They also examined perpetrators' substance abuse and the couples' socioeconomic status as possible causes of prolonged intimate partner violence. The dependent variable was the total number of instances of violence against a female intimate partner recorded for each male perpetrator in comprehensive police and criminal justice archives. As expected, antisocial traits (especially psychopathy) gave the best evidence of causal status. Variables in each other domain exhibited some explanatory power, but some of the apparent causal role could be attributable to enduring antisociality. (Published Abstract)