The gender asymmetric effect of intimate partner violence on relationship satisfaction

Citation

Ackerman, J. & Field, L. (2011). The gender asymmetric effect of intimate partner violence on relationship satisfaction. Violence and Victims. vol. 26 (6) pp. 703-724

Abstract

Our research examined the association between intimate partner violence and relationship satisfaction among victims. The negative association between victimization and relationship satisfaction was substantially stronger for females than for males. Comparisons between respondents reporting about same-sex relationships with those reporting about opposite-sex relationships provided evidence that the amplified victimization/satisfaction association among female victims is a victim-gender effect rather than an actor-gender effect. In other words, our findings suggest that aggression harms the quality of the intimate partnerships of females much more so than the partnerships of males regardless of whether a male or a female is the perpetrator. We supplemented dialogue about the direct implications of our findings with discussions about how these results may raise conceptual questions about the adequacy of the instruments scholars use to study partner aggression.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.26.6.703

Keyword(s)

Partner Violence

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Violence and Victims

Author(s)

Ackerman, J.
Field, L.

Year Published

2011

Volume Number

26

Issue Number

6

Pages

703-724

DOI

10.1891/0886-6708.26.6.703

Reference ID

1472