How often do awake craniotomies in children and adolescents lead to panic and worry?

PURPOSE

Awake craniotomy (AC) is the treatment of choice for the resection of brain tumors within eloquent brain regions for adults, but not much is known about its psychological impact on children and adolescents. Patient immaturity and difficulty in cooperating during surgery could result in psychological sequelae postoperatively, such as anxiety, panic, and worry.

METHODS

In this review, we examined eight studies assessing AC performed on patients under 18 years of age (N = 85), noting exclusion criteria, interventions used, and psychological assessments implemented.

RESULTS

Initial assessments of cognitive functioning and maturity were conducted primarily to determine patient eligibility for AC instead of an age restriction. No standardized interventions were used to minimize anxiety associated with AC. Interventions ranged from almost nothing specified to exposure to videos of the operating room, hypnosis, repeated meetings with psychologists and speech therapists, extensive meetings with the surgery team, and thorough exposure to the operating room theater. With a few exceptions, there were no standardized pre- and post-AC assessments of psychological sequelae. Qualitative evaluations indicated that most children and adolescents tolerated AC well, but one study indicated detrimental effects on school attendance postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Given that most AC teams have a psychologist, it seems desirable to have pre- and post-AC psychological assessments using standardized measures of anxiety, trauma, and worry, as well as measures tailored to AC, such as time to return to school, worry about MRIs following surgery, and self-assessment of post-surgery functioning. In short, comprehensive psychological assessment of AC patients is clearly needed.

The Relationship Behavior Survey: A Comprehensive Measure of Psychological Intimate Partner Violence for Adolescents

Commonly used scales of psychological intimate partner violence (ψIPV) for adolescents may not include sufficient items to measure adequately different forms of ψ aggressive behaviors. They may also characterize as harmful ψ aggressive behaviors occurring in non-conflictual or joking contexts. The current study examined a new scale, the Relationship Behavior Survey (RBS), which was designed to measure three different forms of ψIPV (denigrating, controlling, and intrusive behaviors) and the appraisals of the perpetrator's intent. Factor structure was examined, and incremental validity was tested by examining the relation of the RBS to general aggressive tendencies and physical IPV after accounting for the emotional abuse and threatening behavior subscales of the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory (CADRI). Criterion validity and gender differences were also examined. Data were collected using an online survey from a national sample of 1,100 13 to 17-year-olds in the United States (51% identified as female, 80% as White) in a dating relationship. Confirmatory factor analysis supported one ψIPV construct for males and females. The RBS demonstrated incremental validity; criterion validity was supported for controlling intent for males and females and mistrust intent for females. Joking intent was the most reported intent for males and correlated unexpectedly with physical IPV. The RBS captures a larger range of ψIPV behaviors than the CADRI. The addition of intent appraisals provides important information to differentiate forms of ψIPV, particularly in relation to acts motivated by coercion and mistrust.

Using web-based technologies to increase reach, inclusion, and generalizability in behavioral observation research

Social scientists have long utilized observations of human behavior in research designs. For researchers studying couples, observation of romantic partners has led to important discoveries about how such behavior is associated with physical, mental, and family health. Historically, these methods have been used in in-person laboratory paradigms that place notable limitations on reach and inclusion. This has, in turn, restricted the generalizability of such research to couples who may not attend an in-person laboratory assessment. Transferring the observational laboratory into an online format has the potential to expand the capabilities of these methods to include more diverse couples. This article presents two empirical studies that used online methods to conduct observational behavioral research with sexual and gender minority couples, populations that could be difficult to reach using traditional methods in many places. We demonstrate that we were able to reach, recruit, and enroll diverse couples that more closely resemble the population of same-sex couples in the United States than likely would have been reached in-person. Further, we show that the quality of the observational data collected via the internet allowed for over 94% of collected data to be coded, with acceptable interrater reliabilities and convergent validity. These studies provide a proof-of-concept of online observational methods, accompanied by a tutorial for using such methods. We discuss possible extensions of these online methods, their limitations, and the potential to help further the field of close relationships by reaching more diverse relationships and increasing the generalizability of our research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychopathological Factors and Perpetration of Intimate Partner Aggression: A Multivariate Model

Using a sample of 1,190 married Spanish community couples in opposite-sex relationships, this study evaluated a path analytic model exploring the associations between individual and dyadic factors and partner aggression for both males and females. Specifically, the perpetrator's report of their individual mental health symptomatology (borderline and antisocial traits, alcohol use), their report of relationship quality, and their report of perpetration were modeled to predict their partner's victimization. The resultant model exhibited good fit as measured by multiple indices for both male-to-female and female-to-male perpetration. Furthermore, results demonstrated that antisocial and borderline traits were associated with each other, that alcohol use was associated with perpetration, and that one partner's perpetration was associated with his or her partner's victimization for both males and females. However, the pattern of significant pathways between individual pathology and relationship violence differed somewhat for male-to-female and female-to-male aggression. Given the results, policy makers concerned about prevention of partner aggression may consider interventions aimed at symptoms associated with antisocial and borderline traits and substance use, and may identify differential targets for intervention based on the perpetrator's gender.

The Bystander Behavior (For Friends) Scale: Factor Structure and Correlation With Prior Victimization

The Bystander Behavior (for Friends) Scale (BBS) offers a promising method of studying prosocial bystander behavior in the context of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. The underlying structure of the BBS has only been studied in the development sample, which was predominantly White and from one university in the Northeast region of the United States. This single sample raises questions about the replicability and generalizability of the factor structure. In addition, confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) methods, which are favored for binary data, were not used in the developmental sample. There also is limited research on individual characteristics that may relate to engagement in different types of bystander behavior. The primary aims of the current study were to (a) use CFA to evaluate the factor structure of the BBS in a sample of university undergraduates recruited from four universities and (b) test associations between prior victimization (general and family-specific) and BBS factors. University undergraduates (n = 556) from four U.S. universities comprised the sample. Weighted least squares CFA confirmed the original four-factor model of the BBS, namely, Risky Situations, Accessing Resources, Proactive Behaviors, and Party Safety. The Proactive Behaviors factor was positively associated with both general and family-specific prior victimization. The Risky Situations and Party Safety factors were positively associated with general prior victimization but were not associated with family-specific prior victimization. The Accessing Resources factor was not associated with either general or family-specific prior victimization. The BBS is multidimensional, and the factor structure is robust. The different associations between certain types of bystander behavior and prior victimization highlight the potential value in considering the BBS factors separately.

Prevalence, Gender and Age Differences of Dating Aggression Among Italian Adolescents

The present study represents an effort to expand and deepen the scant literature on Adolescent Dating Aggression (ADA) within the Italian context; adolescent dating aggression is a public health issue of interest due to its increasing frequency among adolescents. The prevalence of verbal-emotional and physical ADA was examined as well as gender and age differences in a sample of Italian adolescents. Participants included 436 adolescents (47.7% males; 52.3% females) living in northern Italy, aged 16 to 18 years (M = 17.11). Participants completed the Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory measuring abusive behaviors between adolescent dating partners. Non-parametric analyses were computed. Verbal-emotional ADA perpetration and victimization were much more common than physical ADA perpetration and victimization. Females reported higher levels of verbal-emotional and physical ADA perpetration than males. To fully investigate gender differences single behaviors were analyzed and described. Finally, age differences emerged only for perpetrated verbal-emotional abuse with such aggression being highest at age 18. This research suggests that in order to prevent the onset of dating aggression in teens in northern Italy, prevention programs may need to begin earlier than previously provided in junior high school. Another core conclusion is that physical aggression against partners is a problem for both males and females, thus intervention for the empowerment of interpersonal skills are needed.

TakeCARE, a Video to Promote Bystander Behavior on College Campuses: Replication and Extension

Previous research has demonstrated that college students who view TakeCARE, a video bystander program designed to encourage students to take action to prevent sexual and relationship violence (i.e., bystander behavior), display more bystander behavior relative to students who view a control video. The current study aimed to replicate and extend these findings by testing two different methods of administering TakeCARE and examining moderators of TakeCARE's effects on bystander behavior. Students at four universities (n = 557) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) view TakeCARE in a monitored computer lab, (b) view TakeCARE at their own convenience after receiving an email link to the video, or (c) view a video about study skills (control group). Participants completed measures of bystander behavior at baseline and at a 1-month follow-up. Participants in both TakeCARE conditions reported more bystander behavior at follow-up assessments, compared with participants in the control condition. The beneficial effect of TakeCARE did not differ significantly across administration methods. However, the effects of TakeCARE on bystander behavior were moderated by students' perceptions of campus responsiveness to sexual violence, with more potent effects when students perceived their institution as responsive to reports of sexual violence.

Pornography Consumption, Modality and Function in a Large Internet Sample

Pornography consumption research often contains measurement inconsistencies that make the literature difficult to integrate. We investigated measurement issues relating to four key areas of pornography research simultaneously in a single data set: (a) differential endorsement across commonly used pornography consumption measures; (b) common modalities of pornography use (e.g., pictures, videos); (c) function of pornography use; and (d) association of age and gender with the above. The sample (n = 1,392) of adults in the United States was collected using Amazon Mechanical Turk and included a much wider age range (ages 18-73) than in typical pornography research. Using all modalities of pornography, 91.5% of men and 60.2% of women herein reported having consumed pornography in the past month. The three primary modalities of pornography consumed were written pornography, pictures, and videos. Videos were consumed most often, but women were much more likely to consume written pornography than men. The primary function of viewing pornography was to enhance masturbation, but notably there was endorsement of many other uses. Cross-sectional age trends and gender differences are discussed with suggestions for future research. Empirical concerns for research in pornography are addressed, with special attention to considerations for estimates of pornography consumption rates and research definitions of pornography.

Treatment impact on recidivism of family only vs. generally violent partner violence perpetrators

Background/Objective

The outcome of a treatment program for a large sample of male perpetrators on probation for intimate partner violence (IPV) was evaluated with particular reference to the differential impact on family only (FO) versus generally violent (GV) perpetrators.

Method

Official rates of recidivism for three years post termination of treatment and probation were examined for 456 perpetrators after they were classified as FO and GV.

Results

Both treatment completion and type of perpetrator were predictive of IPV recidivism and time to recidivism. However, analyses conducted separately for the two groups indicated that participation in the intervention predicted both recidivism and time to recidivism for the GV but not FO perpetrators who participated in treatment. Specifically, GV men were responsive to treatment whereas FO men were not. Results were somewhat different depending on who was included in the no treatment comparison group.

Conclusions

Implications of these findings for one size fits all interventions in IPV are discussed with specific reference to the need to develop different interventions for GV and FO perpetrators.

Adolescent dating violence perpetration, emotion dysregulation, and parenting styles

A conceptual model was tested, separately for male and female adolescents, in which adolescent dating violence (ADV) perpetration toward a romantic partner is affected by the memories of authoritarian paternal and maternal parenting styles through the mediation of adolescents' emotion dysregulation. The sample consisted of 622 Italian adolescents (35.5% males; 64.5% females) aged 13 to 21 years. Participants completed a questionnaire composed of three self-report scales: Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire measuring adolescents' memories of parenting styles; Conflict in Adolescent Dating Relationships Inventory, measuring multiple forms of abusive behavior that may occur between adolescent dating partners; and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies Questionnaire, measuring emotion regulation. For both male and female adolescents, there were significant indirect effects of the memories of both maternal and paternal authoritarian styles on ADV perpetration that were mediated by the adolescents' impulse control difficulties. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Can You Be Hit by Your Partner and Be Intensely in Love?

This study examines, in a multilevel context, the influence of intensity of love at an individual level on couples' mean reports of psychological and physical aggression in a sample of 2,988 adult couples of both sexes from the Region of Madrid. The percentages of intimate partner aggression considering the highest report of aggression in the couple were around 60% of psychological aggression and 15% of physical aggression. Multilevel models confirm that individuals who were less intensely in love reported a higher level of psychological aggression. Concerning physical aggression, men who declared they were less intensely in love reported a higher level of physical aggression by their partners, but this pattern was not found in the women. Therefore, psychological aggression plays a more relevant role in the intensity of love than physical aggression.

Weight-related abuse: Perceived emotional impact and the effect on disordered eating

The purpose of this article was to evaluate theories that (1) weight-related abuse (WRA) plays a unique role in the development of disordered eating, above and beyond general childhood verbal abuse and weight-related teasing, and (2) the perceived emotional impact of WRA mediates the relationship between WRA and current disordered eating. Self-report questionnaires on childhood trauma, weight-related teasing, WRA, and current eating behaviors were administered to a total of 383 undergraduate students. In initial regressions, WRA significantly predicted binge eating, emotional eating, night eating, and unhealthy weight control. WRA continued to significantly predict all 4 forms of disordered eating following the introduction of measures of weight-related teasing and childhood verbal abuse into the regression. Latent variable analysis confirmed that perceived emotional impact of WRA mediated the relationship between WRA and disordered eating, and tests for indirect effects yielded a significant indirect effect of WRA on disordered eating through perceived emotional impact. In sum, WRA is a unique construct and the content of childhood or adolescent maltreatment is important in determining eventual psychopathology outcomes. These findings support the necessity of incorporating information on developmental history and cognitive factors into assessment and treatment of individuals with disordered eating.

Conditional inference trees: a method for predicting intimate partner violence

A number of different methodologies have been employed to investigate the complex relationship between psychological and physical aggression. Herein, a method of unbiased recursive partitioning (conditional inference trees) was applied to a longitudinal sample to identify cutoffs of psychological aggression at baseline that differentiate between individuals who do and do not perpetrate physical aggression at follow-up. The algorithm categorized men into low- and high-risk groups, and women into mild-, moderate-, or high-risk categories of perpetration. Couples responded anonymously to a self-report measure of psychological and physical aggression (CTS2) at baseline and a 12-month follow-up. Sensitivity analyses for predicting physical aggression reached as high as 59% for women and 60% for men.

Mechanisms of change in brief couple therapy for depression

The goal of the present study was to investigate potential mechanisms of previously documented treatment effects for a brief, 5-session, problem-focused couple therapy for depression in a sample of 35 depressed women and their nondepressed husbands. The primary treatment effects were reducing women's depressive symptoms and their husbands' psychological distress and depression-specific burden. Secondarily, treatment resulted in increased relationship satisfaction for both partners. Given these significant treatment changes observed in 5 sessions, we sought to examine the mechanisms of change by testing the following three factors as potential mediators: (a) negative behaviors and attitudes toward depression, (b) support provision, and (c) empathic communication towards the depressed female partners. Women's depression and husbands' depression-specific burden were alleviated by positive changes in their illness-related attitudes and behaviors. Improvements in women's marital satisfaction were also mediated by positive change in their illness-related attitudes and behaviors, along with perceptions of increased positivity and support from their husbands. Findings highlight the importance of targeting specific treatment agents in a brief couple therapy for depression such as psychoeducation about depression and support-building to increase partners' understanding and acceptance of the illness, and teaching communication skills to reduce negative behaviors and criticism that are replaced by more empathic communication towards the depressed individual.

Age-related changes in dating aggression in Spanish high school students

Prevention programs for dating partner aggression should be based on knowledge about when such aggression starts and how it changes. Given the very few studies regarding such trends, changes in physical, psychological, and sexual aggression against dating partners were examined in 14- to 20-year-old Spanish high school students (N = 2,016). Overall, psychological aggression increased linearly, whereas physical aggression had a negative quadratic association, peaking at 16 to 17 years for males and females. Sexual aggression was infrequent, but it spiked at age 16 for males. Although physical aggression diminished in late adolescence, injuries as a consequence of such aggression increased linearly for females, and they were also significantly higher for females (14.9%) than for males (3%) at ages 18 to 20 years. The findings support the hypothesis that dating physical aggression for males and females peaks during middle-to-late adolescence and shows a similar developmental pattern to other antisocial and criminal behaviors. Prevention of dating aggression, escalation of such aggression, and prevention of injury should consider developmental trends in dating aggression.

Childhood abuse, adult interpersonal abuse, and depression in individuals with extreme obesity

This study sought to examine (a) a mediational model of childhood abuse, adult interpersonal abuse, and depressive symptoms and (b) the impact of weight-related teasing on rates and correlates of childhood abuse. Charts of 187 extremely obese individuals seeking psychological clearance for bariatric (weight-loss) surgery were retrospectively examined. Among the participants, 61% reported a history of childhood abuse, 30.5% reported adult interpersonal abuse, and 15% reported clinically significant depressive symptoms. Initially, the relationship between childhood abuse and current depressive symptoms was significant (p<.001). However, the introduction of adult interpersonal abuse as a mediator in the model reduced the magnitude of its significance (Sobel's test p=.01). The associations between childhood abuse and adult interpersonal abuse and between adult interpersonal abuse and depressive symptoms were significant (p<.001 and p=.002, respectively), and the model showed a good fit across multiple indices. Finally, weight-related teasing was a significant moderator in the relationship between childhood and adult interpersonal abuse. Bariatric surgery patients report elevated rates of childhood abuse that are comparable to rates in psychiatric populations (e.g., eating disorders, depression), and higher than those in community samples and other medical populations. The relationship between child abuse and depressive symptomatology may be partially explained by the presence of adult interpersonal abuse; additionally, the relationship between childhood and adult interpersonal abuse was stronger for those who did not endure weight-related teasing than for those who did.

Risk Factors for Physical Violence against Partners in the U.S

OBJECTIVE

To examine unique and relative predictive values of demographic, social learning, developmental, psychopathology, and dyadic variables as risk factors for perpetration of intimate partner physical aggression in a national sample of married or cohabitating individuals.

METHOD

Men (n=798) and women (n=770) were selected from the public use data file of the 2003 National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) which used a multi-stage cluster sampling design.

RESULTS

Eight percent of women and 5% of men reported perpetrating physical aggression in the past year. Based on multivariable regression analyses, among men, the unique risk factors for perpetrating physical aggression were parental violence, dating before age 14, dating aggression, Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) before and after age 20, and being victimized by partner. Among women, significant risk factors were younger age, dating aggression, IED before age 20, cohabiting, victimization by partner, and marital/relationship strain.

CONCLUSIONS

A number of social learning, developmental, adult psychopathology, and dyadic factors were significant. Two dyadic variables, victimization and marital strain, had by far the strongest associations with perpetration of partner aggression. Given that dating aggression and early IED were risk factors for male and female IPV much later in life suggests early interventions for those at risk.

Validation of Fear of Partner Scale

Therapists have a responsibility to ascertain if psychological aggression, physical aggression, sexual aggression exist, and if there is fear of the partner. A fear of partner measure was evaluated in 100 couples who sought relationship feedback. Fear of partner's psychological, physical, and sexual aggression was related to actual reports of such behavior. For both men and women, fear of speaking in front of partner and fear of being in therapy with partner were related to reports of psychological aggression perpetrated by the partner, dominance, and isolation by the partner, and one's own marital dissatisfaction. Among respondents who were aggressed against, more men than women reported fear of participating in therapy with their partner. The measure herein can be used to determine the extent of fear of aggression by partners and to assist in the decision-making about the appropriateness of marital therapy and divorce mediation.

Longitudinal patterns of relationship adjustment among German parents

Although there have been many studies that have examined the trajectory of relationship adjustment among newlywed couples in the United States, less is known about the trajectory of relationship adjustment in other countries and over other developmental periods of relationships, such as among families with young children. In this study, we used latent growth curve mixture modeling to examine the trajectories of relationship adjustment among German parents across a 4-year period (N = 242). Approximately 90% of men and women could be classified as showing high relationship adjustment and a stable or increasing trajectory. The remaining 10%, were initially more distressed and showed a decline in relationship adjustment over time. In addition, latent relationship adjustment trajectory class significantly predicted change in men's depressive symptoms over the 4 years; for women, relationship-adjustment trajectory class was related to depressive symptom levels, but did not predict change over time.

The Role of Relationships in Understanding the Alexithymia–Depression Link

Alexithymia is associated with increased depressive symptoms in both clinical and community samples. One way that alexithymia may lead to depression is through its impact on interpersonal relationships. Individuals with alexithymia report lower perceived social support, intimacy, and relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, poor relationship functioning is a clear risk factor for depressive symptoms. Given the established alexithymia–depression link and marital dysfunction–depression link, a logical next step is to examine whether relationship dysfunction (low social support, intimacy, negative relationship behaviours, and relationship dissatisfaction) mediates the association between alexithymia and depressive symptoms. The hypothesized mediation model was assessed in a sample of 104 community couples with two analytical approaches—first with cross–sectional measures using path analysis and second with daily diary measures collected over a seven–day period using a multilevel modelling approach. Poor relationship functioning mediated the association between alexithymia and depressed mood in the daily diary data and partially mediated that association with the cross–sectional measures. These results identify alexithymia as an important variable in understanding the marital functioning–depression association, and this finding has implications for treatment. Copyright © 2012 European Association of Personality Psychology

Adjustment problems and maladaptive relational style: a mediational model of sexual coercion in intimate relationships

Four hundred and fifty-three married or cohabitating couples participated in the current study. A meditational model of men's perpetration of sexual coercion within an intimate relationship was examined based on past theories and known correlates of rape and sexual coercion. The latent constructs of adjustment problems and maladaptive relational style were examined. Adjustment problem variables included perceived stress, perceived low social support, and marital discord. Maladaptive relational style variables included psychological aggression, dominance, and jealousy. Sexual coercion was a combined measure of men's reported perpetration and women's reported victimization. As hypothesized, adjustment problems significantly predicted sexual coercion. Within the meditational model, adjustment problems were significantly correlated with maladaptive relational style, and maladaptive relational style significantly predicted sexual coercion. Once maladaptive relational style was introduced as a mediator, adjustment problems no longer significantly predicted sexual coercion. Implications for treatment, limitations, and future research are discussed.

We are not joking: need for controls in reports of dating violence

Underreporting of intimate partner aggression is an important issue in the interpretation of self-reports of such aggression, especially by males. However, both males and females are less likely to report negative behaviors about themselves than about their partners. With 863 adolescents from Madrid, social desirability had a small but significant association with reports of dating aggression, but covariance corrections for social desirability did not alter the conclusions about such aggression. Using uncorrected or corrected means for social desirability, males engage in more sexual aggression against their partners and females engage in more psychological and physical aggression. Maximal dyadic reports based on reports by either self or partner significantly increased the rates of aggression, although conclusions about perpetration and victimization did not differ with this correction. Rates of aggression dropped roughly half when corrected for aggression in a joking context, but more females still reported engaging in physical aggression against their partners. The corrections one wishes to use depend upon the sample under study-i.e., adolescent versus adult populations-and one's research or clinical question, but the use of social desirability controls seems ill-founded. Finally, there is a need for in-depth interviews with both partners in dating relationships to determine more about the contextual factors associated with dating aggression and to assist in knowing what correction factors seem most valid.

Emotional intimacy mediates the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and intimate partner violence perpetration in OEF/OIF/OND veterans

Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at elevated risk for perpetrating intimate partner violence (IPV). Little research exists on the link between PTSD and physical IPV in Operational Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) veterans. A sample of 110 male participants was recruited from the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Three separate models were compared to determine which best explained the relationships between PTSD, IPV, emotional intimacy, and relationship satisfaction. Constructs were assessed via a battery of standardized, self-report instruments. Thirty-three percent of veterans had clinically elevated PTSD scores, and 31% of the men reported that they engaged in physical IPV in the past year. Poor emotional intimacy mediated the association between PTSD symptoms and perpetration of physical IPV. Past predeployment IPV perpetration was shown to be a predictor for current postdeployment physical IPV perpetration.

Prevention of partner violence by focusing on behaviors of both young males and females

Historically, the political context of partner physical aggression policy and research has focused on protection of physically victimized women and mandated interventions for male batterers. This emphasis is understandable when one considers the injuries and deaths of women by men. However, physical aggression against partners among teens is a very different phenomenon than battering. Intimate partner violence (IPV) in the form of physical aggression, the focus of this review, often starts in junior high school, and approximately 35% of male and female senior high school students report engaging in IPV. The specific trajectory of IPV varies by sample, but IPV appears to decrease in the late teens or early 20s. IPV is generally reported by both males and females, and not attributable to self-defense. IPV is significantly stable in couples who remain together, but stability appears lower if partners change. Given the importance of physical aggression by both males and females, prevention and early intervention programs need to address relationship factors, and targeted prevention and early intervention would be prudent with young high-risk couples. Decades of intervention programs for batterers have not proven very successful, and IPV appears easier to prevent than treat. Thus, emphasis on prevention of IPV seems both timely and promising. This review is intended for diverse audiences including educational administrators, policy makers, and researchers. It reviews issues such as who and when to target for IPV prevention programs, and it summarizes data relevant to these issues.

Item response theory analysis of intimate-partner violence in a community sample

The Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2; Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Sugarman, 1996) is a widely used measure of physical, psychological, and sexual aggression as well as injury and negotiation between partners. In this study, we analyzed male-to-female and female-to-male physical aggression using data from 453 community couples. We used item-response theory (IRT) to assess the range and precision of physical aggression severity in the past year, as evaluated by the CTS2. Our analyses support a single dimension of physical aggression with quantitative, rather than qualitative, differentiation between minor and severe physical aggression items. Surprisingly, test information curves revealed that male perpetration and victimization items provided as much or more information as their counterpart female victimization and perpetration items over the same range of aggression severity. Finally, the data suggests that CTS2 items best assessed moderate-to-severe levels of physical aggression in the previous 12 months. However, virtually no information was assessed by male or female reports of perpetration or victimization items below or around the mean of aggression (i.e., theta; θ = 0). Suggestions for improved item coverage and implications for the assessment of aggression are discussed.

Stability, change, and informant variance in newlyweds' physical aggression: individual and dyadic processes

Individual and dyadic stability models of newlyweds' physical aggression were evaluated in a sample of 394 newlywed community couples recruited at engagement and followed for 2.5 years. Aggression in young couples was hypothesized to be a stable, enduring trait, consistent with a latent state-trait conceptualization. However, the findings indicated that aggression can more parsimoniously be conceptualized as a "somewhat stable" trait with strong short-term correlations that gradually decrease at increasing intervals. Aggression was significantly dyadic. Men and women's aggression were consistently associated with one another across time beginning at engagement, with little evidence that one person's aggression evoked aggression in the partner in the time intervals studied. Consistency in a person's reporting of aggression, not shared with the partner, was strongest for self-reports.

Do motivational interviewing behaviors predict reductions in partner aggression for men and women?

Motivational interviewing is a directive, non-confrontational intervention to promote behavior change. The current study examined therapist behaviors during a successful brief motivational interviewing intervention for physically aggressive college dating couples (Woodin & O'Leary, 2010). Forty-five minute motivational interviews with each partner were videotaped and coded using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity scale (MITI; Moyers, Martin, Manuel, & Miller, 2003). Hierarchical modeling analyses demonstrated that therapist behaviors consistent with motivational interviewing competency predicted significantly greater reductions in physical aggression perpetration following the intervention. Specifically, greater reflection to question ratios by the therapists predicted reductions in aggression for both men and women, greater percentages of open versus closed questions predicted aggression reductions for women, and there was a trend for greater levels of global therapist empathy to predict aggression reductions for women. These findings provide evidence that motivational interviewing seems to have an effect on behavior change through therapist behaviors consistent with the theoretical underpinnings of motivational interviewing.

A brief motivational intervention for physically aggressive dating couples

Motivational interviewing is a brief non-confrontational intervention designed to enhance motivation to reduce harmful behavior (Miller and Rollnick 2002). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing as a targeted prevention approach for partner aggression in emerging adulthood. Participants were 50 college dating couples between 18 and 25 years old who reported at least one act of male-to-female physical aggression in their current relationships. After completing a 2-hour assessment session, half of all couples were randomly assigned to a 2-hour individualized motivational feedback session targeting physical aggression and risk factors for aggression. The remaining couples received minimal, non-motivational feedback. Follow-up surveys were conducted 3, 6, and 9 months later. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that, compared to the control condition, the motivational feedback intervention led to reductions in physical aggression and harmful alcohol use and to less acceptance of female psychological aggression and male psychological aggression (among women only). Lagged analyses indicated that changes in physical aggression were predicted by reductions in psychological aggression and by lower acceptance of both male and female psychological aggression. Reductions in physical aggression predicted lower anxiety and greater relationship investment and male relationship commitment over time. These findings suggest that a brief motivational intervention is a useful prevention approach for high-risk dating couples, with benefits to both individual and relationship functioning.

Prevalence and predictors of sexual aggression in dating relationships of adolescents and young adults

Dyadic influences among the diverse forms of aggression in dating relationships of adolescents and young adults have been reported in various studies. The goal of this research was to extend a dyadic model of physical aggression against partners to sexual aggression against partners. An urban sample of 4,052 adolescents and young adults of both genders, between 16 and 26 years old, was used. The percentage of male aggressors was significantly higher than that of the females (35.7% vs. 14.9%) and the percentage of victimization was higher for the women (25.1% vs.21.7%). Sexual aggression and sexual victimization was almost solely psychological in nature, that is, verbal coercion. As predicted by the dyadic model of physical aggression in dating relationships, sexual victimization was best predicted by sexual aggression of the individuals in this study both for males and females.

Descriptive epidemiology of intimate partner aggression in Ukraine

AIMS

Partner aggression is believed to be widespread in Eastern Europe although systematic evidence is sparse. Using data from the World Mental Health (WMH) survey in Ukraine, we present the first population-based findings on the descriptive epidemiology of partner aggression among married adults.

METHODS

Married men (n = 558) and women (n = 558) were interviewed with the WMH-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) module assessing aggression in the marriage. Risk factors included demographic characteristics, witnessing parental aggression, early onset and adult episodes of DSM-IV psychiatric and alcohol disorders, and marital problem severity.

RESULTS

More women than men reported aggression by their spouse in the past year (12.7 vs. 5.8%) or ever in the marriage (20.1 vs. 8.6%), while ~11 and 19% of both sexes behaved aggressively against their spouse in these time periods. Among men, the unique risk factors for behaving aggressively were being married once, witnessing parental violence, early onset alcohol abuse, and intermittent explosive disorders (IED); the risk factors for reporting that their wives were aggressive were early onset alcohol abuse, IED and marital problems. Among women, the risk factors for behaving aggressively were younger age, unemployment, living in a rural area, early onset alcohol abuse, mood/anxiety disorders, and marital problems; the risk factors for reporting that their husbands behaved aggressively were younger age, early onset alcohol abuse, and marital problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Partner aggression is a significant public health issue in Ukraine predicted by alcohol abuse and IED before and after age 20 for men and women.

Alcohol and intimate partner violence: a meta-analytic review

The link between alcohol use/abuse and partner violence attracted increasing research attention in the past decade. Some studies reported a null or weak association between alcohol use and intimate partner violence, whereas other studies reported a moderate or large association. Using a meta-analytic approach, the link between alcohol use/abuse and male-to-female partner violence as well as female-to-male partner violence was examined herein. The results indicate that there is a small to moderate effect size for the association between alcohol use/abuse and male-to-female partner violence and a small effect size for the association between alcohol use/abuse and female-to-male partner violence. For men only, several moderators were also examined and the magnitude of the effect sizes varied significantly as a function of the type of sample and type of alcohol measure selected. Specifically, there was a larger association of alcohol and aggression in clinical versus non-clinical samples and when measures assessed more severe alcohol problems.

Alcohol and intimate partner violence: a meta-analytic review

The link between alcohol use/abuse and partner violence attracted increasing research attention in the past decade. Some studies reported a null or weak association between alcohol use and intimate partner violence, whereas other studies reported a moderate or large association. Using a meta-analytic approach, the link between alcohol use/abuse and male-to-female partner violence as well as female-to-male partner violence was examined herein. The results indicate that there is a small to moderate effect size for the association between alcohol use/abuse and male-to-female partner violence and a small effect size for the association between alcohol use/abuse and female-to-male partner violence. For men only, several moderators were also examined and the magnitude of the effect sizes varied significantly as a function of the type of sample and type of alcohol measure selected. Specifically, there was a larger association of alcohol and aggression in clinical versus non-clinical samples and when measures assessed more severe alcohol problems.

Gender differences in dating aggression among multiethnic high school students

PURPOSE

(1) To assess prevalence of physical dating aggression and victimization among high school students; (2) to assess prevalence of mutual and exclusive aggression; (3) to determine whether aggression differs across ethnic groups and relationship type; and (4) to ascertain the likelihood of injury and breakup in individuals who reported that they were the recipients of physical aggression.

METHODS

Students (N = 2363) from seven multiethnic high schools participated. Because males in high school date females younger than they and the reverse for females, and because males and females may underreport aggression, only within gender comparisons were conducted.

RESULTS

More females reported engaging in physical aggression (40%) than reported being victims of aggression (30%). Fewer males reported engaging in physical aggression (24%) than reported being victims of physical aggression (31%). If physical aggression occurred, typically both partners were aggressive. For females, exclusive engagement in physical aggression (perpetration) was reported at higher rates than exclusively being the recipient of physical aggression (victimization) and vice versa for males. Dating aggression was less prevalent among male Asian students than other ethnic groups. Engaged males and females reported the highest rates of physical aggression. Injury was reported by over 25% of males and females who reported being the recipients of physical aggression.

CONCLUSIONS

Dating aggression intervention programs should address physical aggression of both males and females. Because approximately 30% of the high school males and females reported being the recipients of physical aggression by their partners, primary prevention efforts should occur before high school.

Multivariate models of men's and women's partner aggression

This exploratory study was designed to address how multiple factors drawn from varying focal models and ecological levels of influence might operate relative to each other to predict partner aggression, using data from 453 representatively sampled couples. The resulting cross-validated models predicted approximately 50% of the variance in men's and women's partner aggression. The 3 strongest direct predictors of partner aggression for men and women were dominance/jealousy, marital adjustment, and partner responsibility attributions. Three additional direct paths to aggression for men were exposure to family-of-origin aggression, anger expression, and perceived social support. The 1 additional direct path for women was a history of their own aggression as a child or teenager. Implications for more integrative theories and intervention are discussed.

Females' reasons for their physical aggression in dating relationships

Approximately 32% of dating college females reported that they engaged in physical aggression against their partners and that they engaged in acts of physical aggression more often than their male partners engaged in aggression against them. However, the females also reported that their male partners attempted to force them to engage in oral sex more often than the females engaged in such coercive behavior. Based on both open-ended and closed responses, the primary reasons given for engaging in physical aggression were anger at the partner and poor communication. Females who reported physical aggression in their relationships were less satisfied with their relationships, and both psychological and physical aggression were negatively correlated with positive feelings about the partners.

Physical and psychological aggression in dating relationships in Spanish university students

The presence of violent behaviors of a psychological and physical nature in dating relations was analyzed in a sample of Spanish university students between 18 and 27 years of age. The results indicate a high prevalence of both kinds of aggression in interpersonal relationships, revealing important typology differences between the sexes. Violent psychological behaviors (characterized by the presence of verbal aggression and coercive and jealous behaviors) and physical aggression were significantly higher in women, though the consequences of physical aggression were worse for the women's health. The implications of the results and their possible relation with more severe violent acts in more stable, emotional relationships are discussed.

Agreement about acts of aggression in marriage

Psychological and Physical Aggression scales met internal consistency and agreement standards on the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2) in a randomly recruited sample of 453 married community couples with children. Moreover, partners agreed on the extent of psychological and physical aggression as much or more than they did on CTS2 Negotiation scale and positive behaviors assessed on the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. On the other hand, the CTS2 Sexual Coercion and Injury scales had much lower internal consistencies as measured by Cronbach's alpha, and agreement was generally very low. Men and women reported less abusive behavior and consequent injury than partners reported about them. Correction factors were provided for prevalence estimates of abusive behavior and injury when only perpetrator reports were available.

Reaction time and item presentation factors in the self-report of partner aggression

The Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS) have used different formats intended to maximize the accuracy and disclosure of relationship aggression. The original CTS presented items in a hierarchical order, seeking to establish a "context of legitimation." The CTS2 presented items in an interspersed order to reduce denial response sets. The current study used computer administration of the CTS and sought to determine whether the two presentation formats described above result in differing self-reports of aggression and to explore possible causes of such an effect, such as differences in reaction time. Results indicated that item order did not significantly affect reports of aggression, but increasing participants' reaction times by experimental manipulation of the minimum item display duration resulted in increased self-reports of aggression.

How do I tell thee? Voice, pen, or computer key

In this issue, the previous two articles by Hamby and colleagues and Vega and O'Leary are concerned with whether the method of administration and format of the Conflict Tactics Scale influence participant responses. Because they examine different aspects of the same measure, I was asked to conclude the issue by writing a brief summary and integration of the two articles.

Partner aggression severity as a risk marker for male and female violence recidivism

Pretreatment aggression severity was examined as a risk marker for recidivism in the treatment of partner aggression. Intact married couples experiencing husband-to-wife partner aggression were recruited from the community and participated in either conjoint group treatment or gender-specific group treatment. Elevated levels of husband and wife physical aggression and wife psychological aggression before treatment predicted the continuation and severity of physical aggression by both spouses during treatment and in the following year, with no significant differences across treatment formats. These results indicate that high levels of psychological and physical aggression signify a poor prognosis for both conjoint and gender-specific group treatment programs, suggesting the need for interventions of greater intensity, duration, and/or focus for individuals highest in psychological and physical aggression.

Partner aggression and problem drinking across the lifespan: how much do they decline?

Cross-sectional analyses from nationally-representative samples demonstrate significant age-related trends in partner aggression and problem drinking. Both behaviors are most prevalent in the early to mid-twenties and increasingly less common thereafter. Aggregate associations based on percentage of individuals displaying the behavior in each age range are dramatically stronger than those found when correlating individuals' ages and behavior. Multilevel modeling demonstrates that group-level effects do not mask associations found at the level of the individual for either problem drinking or partner aggression. An analysis of recent abstracts from psychology journals showed that issues of aggregate and individual data are rarely if ever discussed, and even well-known statistics books in psychology rarely discuss such issues. The interpretation of aggregate data will become increasing important as psychologists themselves, and in collaboration with epidemiologists and sociologists, have access to large data sets that allow for data aggregation. Both aggregate and individual analyses are valid, although they provide answers to different questions. Individual analyses are necessary for predicting individual behavior; aggregate analyses are useful in policy planning for large scale prevention and intervention. Strengths and limitations of cross-sectional community samples and aggregate data are also discussed.

Effectiveness of anger treatments for specific anger problems: a meta-analytic review

This meta-analytic review analyzed the effects of anger treatment on various aspects of anger with 65% of studies not previously reviewed. To improve on past reviews, this review included only noninstitutionalized adults with demonstrable anger as determined by standardized measures. The studies were compiled from a computer search of published and unpublished anger treatment studies conducted between January 1980 and August 2002. The search resulted in 23 studies containing one or more treatment groups and a control group, with effect sizes derived for each anger problem within each treatment category. The meta-analysis resulted in medium to large effect sizes across therapies. Further analyses of effect sizes within treatment groups by the kind of anger reported support the implementation of cognitive therapies for driving anger, anger suppression, and trait anger. In contrast, relaxation is recommended in cases of state anger. Other implications for treatment and future research directions are discussed, including a special need for research with treatment-seeking individuals and clinical populations.

Physical and psychological partner aggression across a decade: a growth curve analysis

The course of physical and psychological partner aggression was investigated over a decade in 203 wives from Suffolk County, New York. Wives reported on their own and on their partners' aggression at one month before marriage and 6, 18, 30, and 120 months after marriage. This follow-up is the longest period over which partner aggression has been examined. Prevalence rates of wife's report of wife- and husband-perpetrated physical aggression were 48% and 35% at premarriage, and 13% and 10% ten years later. Using HLM, husband- and wife-perpetrated physical aggression were found to decrease on average approximately one act of aggression per month, regardless of severity and even when controlling for changes in marital satisfaction. There was no significant pattern of change in psychological aggression. These findings are consistent with cross-sectional analyses, and suggest that physical partner aggression decreases in community samples of couples.

Physical and psychological partner aggression across a decade: a growth curve analysis

The course of physical and psychological partner aggression was investigated over a decade in 203 wives from Suffolk County, New York. Wives reported on their own and on their partners' aggression at one month before marriage and 6, 18, 30, and 120 months after marriage. This follow-up is the longest period over which partner aggression has been examined. Prevalence rates of wife's report of wife- and husband-perpetrated physical aggression were 48% and 35% at premarriage, and 13% and 10% ten years later. Using HLM, husband- and wife-perpetrated physical aggression were found to decrease on average approximately one act of aggression per month, regardless of severity and even when controlling for changes in marital satisfaction. There was no significant pattern of change in psychological aggression. These findings are consistent with cross-sectional analyses, and suggest that physical partner aggression decreases in community samples of couples.

The association between alcohol use and intimate partner violence: linear effect, threshold effect, or both?

The present study examined whether the association between alcohol and male-to-female intimate partner violence (IPV) is most meaningfully described as a linear relationship, a threshold effect, or both. Men in two nationally representative samples, the National Family Violence Survey (NFVS) and the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), were divided into similar drinking groups based on quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption. Analyses of the association between IPV and drinking category revealed that although linear associations between drinking classification and IPV were significant in both samples, the associated effect sizes were very small. Further, only heavy drinkers and binge drinkers were major contributors to the significant chi-squares. Overall, the results revealed both linear and threshold effects, and suggest that distinctions among drinking patterns may be more important than incremental increases in quantity or frequency in conceptualizing alcohol as a risk factor for IPV.