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Personality dynamics of intimate abusiveness
1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Journal of Psychiatric Practice
|June 30, 2005
Summary
A new theory explains why some men become abusive in relationships, linking it to borderline personality traits and early development. This cyclical abusiveness stems from internal mood states, not external triggers, affecting intimate partners.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Criminology
- Forensic Psychology
Background:
- Individual differences in intimate partner violence (IPV) require explanation.
- A specific subgroup of men exhibiting cyclical mood swings in abusive behaviors is identified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a new theory explaining individual differences in abusive tendencies within intimate relationships.
- To focus on men with borderline personality structures whose abuse is cyclical and internally triggered.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing studies on male intimate partner abuse.
- Analysis of personality structures and developmental origins of attachment-related rage.
- Correlation of personality profiles with intimate partners' reports of psychological abusiveness across diverse male samples.
Main Results:
- A theory is presented linking borderline personality structure to cyclical, internally triggered abusiveness in intimate relationships.
- Intimate attachment is identified as a trigger for rage in a significant portion (40%) of men treated for wife assault.
- Early developmental factors contribute to the origins of attachment-related rage and abusive behaviors.
Conclusions:
- The proposed theory offers a framework for understanding a specific profile of intimately abusive males.
- Abusive behaviors in this subgroup are rooted in internal mood states and early developmental experiences, not solely external factors.
- The findings have implications for targeted interventions and treatment strategies for intimate partner violence.