A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review: Infidelity, Romantic Jealousy and Intimate Partner Violence against Women

Abstract

Infidelity and romantic jealousy (RJ) are commonly cited relational level drivers of intimate partner violence (IPV) but remain undertheorized and underutilized in IPV research and prevention. This global systematic review aims to characterize the existing research on real or suspected infidelity and RJ in relation to IPV and inform future research and programming. We systematically searched 11 databases for peer-reviewed research, published between April 2009 and 2019, that provided data on the prevalence or a measure of association (quantitative), or pathway (qualitative), between real or suspected infidelity or RJ, and IPV. Fifty-one papers from 28 countries were included and the evidence showed a consistent association between real or suspected infidelity, RJ and IPV. Our findings identify three overarching mechanisms and six pathways between infidelity, RJ and IPV. These provide support for prominent theories in the field related to patriarchal culture, threatened masculinities and femininities and a lack of emotional regulation and conflict resolution skills, but not evolutionary theories. Our findings suggest that researchers should use standardized measurement tools that make the distinction between RJ and suspected, confirmed and accusations of infidelity. Policy and programming should aim to transform traditional gender roles, accounting for infidelity and RJ and improving couple’s communication and trust.

Give me your password! What are you hiding? Associated factors of intimate partner violence through technological abuse

“…In addition, participants with dismissing attachment styles seemed to report the most frequent cheating episodes from their partners in the victims’ group, while those with a secure dominant style reported the least known infidelity behaviors from their partners. These results are significant in light of the previously suggested links between domestic violence abuse and victimization and partners’ (in)fidelity (e.g., Pichon et al, 2020 ). Since the evidence related to infidelity and/or romantic jealousy and ITPV is relatively scarce, the present results might play an important role in future related research.…”

“…According to the moral disengagement framework, when moral restraints are removed, regular," good" people may be capable of atrocities, engaging in violent behaviors without experiencing subsequent attendant distress. Studies of individual and group violence have shown that moral disengagement strongly influences our desire to cause others' suffering (Paciello et al, 2008). Bandura (2002) identified eight primary moral disengagement mechanisms (i.e., moral justification, euphemistic labeling, advantageous comparison, displacement of responsibility, diffusion of responsibility, disregard or distortion of consequences, and dehumanization), which have been studied extensively given the fertile research ground they provide.…”

“…The wide range of intimate partner violence forms might include, among others, physical, emotional or psychological, sexual, or economic violence (Huecker et al, 2021 ). These violent intimate behaviors might appear in the offline and online environment (e.g., cyber-abuse; Taylor & Xia, 2018 ), and some of the common reasons lying behind these behaviors are related to abusers’ need for control due to jealousy, personality, or psychological disorders, low self-esteem, low emotional control and anger management, cultural beliefs, infidelity, or feelings of inferiority (Huecker et al, 2021 ; Nemeth et al, 2012 ; Pichon et al, 2020 ).…”

Narratives of experiences of violence of Venezuelan migrant women sheltered at the northwestern Brazilian border

“…Various emotions such as anger, frustration, insecurity, shame, humiliation among others were described as emotions that there are parts of romantic jealousy. Romantic jealousy based on real or imaginary facts may create conflicts which could derive in IPV [45].…”

Predicción de la violencia en la pareja perpetrada desde la personalidad oscura, doble moral y celos en mujeres adultas de CABA y GBA

“…Por otra parte, que sean los celos conductuales los predictores significativos -no los emocionales ni los cognitivos-pondría en evidencia que la dimensión física que conlleva este tipo de comportamiento (acercarse físicamente a la pareja o hacerle una visita secreta) explicaría su significativa asociación con la violencia dentro del contexto de la pareja. Los celos, de este modo, son un robusto predictor de la violencia, más, incluso, que la psicopatía, lo que coincide con muchas investigaciones que indican que son un fuerte disparador de la violencia dentro de la pareja (Pichon et al 2020). Futuros estudios deberían examinar si el alto valor predictor de los celos se da solamente en las mujeres o en ambos géneros.…”