NCJ Number
129338
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1991) Pages: 97-114
Date Published
1991
Length
18 pages
Annotation
A sample of 583 university student respondents answered questions about their dating relationships over the previous year in order to collect data on the incidence of psychological aggression in these relationships with a particular emphasis on interpersonal control. The questionnaire covered experiences of psychological aggression with up to four dating partners, background information on the respondent's childhood experiences of aggression and self-esteem, and characteristics of the dating relationship including the levels of interpersonal control and behavioral involvement with each partner.
Abstract
The findings show that, across relationships, men and women control their partners at about equal rates, indicating that interpersonal control in dating relationships is not derivative of control in society at large. The study demonstrates that, net of other effects, interpersonal control does predict psychological aggression; victims of psychological aggression often use the same techniques to inflict aggression. Other factors affecting psychological aggression include self-esteem and behavioral involvement. Future research should examine the association between psychological aggression and issues of trust and competitiveness. 6 tables and 49 references (Author abstract modified)