Impulsivity, impulsive aggression and borderline personality features among violent spouses.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Criminology

Background:

• Spousal violence in Pakistan is under-researched and not recognized as a public health issue.
• Understanding the psychological factors contributing to spousal violence is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the association between impulsivity, impulsive aggression, and borderline personality features in violent spouses.
• To investigate the moderating role of impulsive aggression in the relationship between spousal violence and borderline personality features.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey design.
• 300 spouses in intimate partner relationships from the Hazara division, Pakistan, were recruited using purposive sampling.

Main Results:

• Significant positive correlations were found between spousal violence and impulsivity (r = .708), impulsive aggression (r = .176), and borderline personality features (r = .605).
• Impulsive aggression significantly moderated the association between spousal violence and borderline personality features.
• Impulsivity, impulsive aggression, and borderline personality features were significant predictors of spousal violence.

Conclusions:

• The study provides critical insights for healthcare professionals working with individuals affected by violence.
• Findings have significant therapeutic implications for the treatment of couples experiencing spousal violence.