Examining situations involving intimate partner aggression: A dyadic study of agreement on behaviors, attributions, and emotional effects.

Abstract

There is a growing body of literature investigating agreement of partners on instances of intimate partner aggression (IPA) well as attributions for why people engage in IPA. Although our understanding has increased, there remains a major gap in the literature: the utilization of only one member of a couple's reports of the aggression and attributions (i.e., partners' perceptions of why an event of IPA occurred). Using a dyadic study, romantic couples were asked to independently discuss the same psychological, physical, and sexual IPA incidents in their relationship. Seeking to bridge the two bodies of literature of both perpetrators' and victims' perceptions of the same IPA incidents, the current study found that while there was moderate agreement on whether or not aggression even happened in an instance of IPA, as well as agreement on the general type of aggression that occurred (e.g., psychological), there was little to no agreement otherwise (i.e., Kappa statistics indicating agreement ranging from nonexistent agreement to poor agreement on specific behaviors, attributions, and emotional effects). Partners typically disagreed on most behaviors that were enacted during instances of aggression, the attributions for the aggression (with the exception of alcohol), as well as the emotional outcomes related to IPA. In addition, disagreement on specific behaviors of aggression were related to various correlates (i.e., hypergender ideology, emotion dysregulation, controlling behavior, vii perceptions that one/one's partner will perpetrate in the future, past year physical IPA victimization/perpetration, past year psychological IPA victimization/perpetration, and any past year IPA victimization/perpetration), whereas disagreement on emotional effects was only related to past-year psychological IPA perpetration. These findings and area of research are imperative to understanding the complexities of conflict in the realm of romantic relationships, as well as being vital for the development and success of IPA prevention and treatment programs. viii

Romantic attachment and cyber dating violence in adolescence: A dyadic approach

“…The current study also examined the rate of concordance between partners with regard to cyber‐DV occurrences and found no agreement between partners, meaning that when one partner reported having perpetrated cyber‐DV, the other was not likely to report being victimized, and vice versa. This is consistent with other studies on intimate partner violence among adults (Freeman et al, 2015; Neal & Edwards, 2019; Schafer et al, 2002). This absence of agreement could be partially attributed to social desirability, especially regarding perpetration (e.g., Archer, 1999; Moffitt et al, 1997).…”

Assessing Intimate Partner Violence Via Daily Diary Surveys: Feasibility, Reporting, and Acceptability

“…This finding is consistent with research on alcohol use that shows a pattern of underestimation in retrospective summary measures compared with daily diary measures (Krenek et al, 2016; Patrick & Lee, 2010; Searles et al, 2002). In research on couples’ reporting discrepancy, scholars argue that one partner’s report of violence is likely more accurate than another partner’s report of no violence, given that violence is often underreported on surveys (Neal & Edwards, 2019). In line with this research, daily diary measures of IPV are likely more accurate than retrospective summary measures because they capture violence that would otherwise go underreported in a retrospective summary measure.…”

Rates and Correlates of Intimate Partner Abuse Among Indigenous Women Caregivers

“…Also, it is important to note that we did not measure indigenous women caregivers’ motives for IPA abuse directed at partner. Although among non-indigenous women self-defense is not a commonly cited reason for use of aggression toward one’s partner (Neal & Edwards, 2015, 2017), it may be a factor for indigenous women, especially those experiencing more severe forms of ADP or women who are using ADP to protect their children from harm from an abusive partner.…”