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When Does Verbal Aggression in Relationships Covary With Physical Violence?
Julia F Hammett1, Benjamin R Karney1, Thomas N Bradbury1
1University of California, Los Angeles.
Psychology of Violence
|June 28, 2021
Summary
Poor communication and socioeconomic disadvantage increase physical violence risk in psychologically aggressive couples. Understanding these factors can help identify at-risk relationships.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Psychological aggression is prevalent in intimate relationships.
- Only a fraction of psychologically aggressive couples escalate to physical violence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors differentiating psychologically aggressive couples who engage in physical violence.
- To examine the roles of negative communication and socioeconomic disadvantage.
Main Methods:
- Collected self-report and observational data from 431 couples on aggression, communication quality, and socioeconomic vulnerability.
- Employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for moderation analyses.
Main Results:
- Lower-quality couple communication significantly predicted increased physical aggression.
- Higher socioeconomic disadvantage also predicted increased physical aggression.
- Both factors independently moderated the link between psychological and physical aggression.
Conclusions:
- Communication skills and socioeconomic vulnerability are independent predictors of physical aggression in psychologically aggressive relationships.
- Integrated conceptual frameworks and targeted interventions are needed to address these risks.
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