Top

Published in:

01-04-2007 | Original Article

Etiological Similarities Between Psychological and Physical Aggression in Intimate Relationships: A Behavioral Genetic Exploration

Authors: Kimberly J. Saudino, Denise A. Hines

Published in: Journal of Family Violence | Issue 3/2007

Abstract

Previous research has consistently shown that there is a strong association between psychological and physical aggression in intimate relationships. Theories as to why this association exists include that they have a single underlying etiology with differing thresholds, or they have separate etiologies and there is a two-step process by which psychological aggression moves to physical. The current study suggests that these two theories are not necessarily competing theories. The genetic and environmental covariance between psychological and physical intimate partner aggression were examined in 134 monozygotic (MZ) and 41 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. Results showed that psychological and physical aggression have largely the same genetic etiology, and any differences between the two are a function of differing nonshared environmental influences.

Coccaro, E. F., Bergeman, C. S., Kavoussi, R. J., & Scroczynski, A. D. (1997). Heritability of aggression and irritability: A twin study of the Buss-Durkee aggression scales in adult male subjects. Biological Psychiatry, 41, 273–284.PubMedCrossRef

Eaves, L. J., Eysenck, H. J., & Martin, N. G. (1989). Genes, culture and personality. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, Inc.

Follingstad, D. R., Rutledge, L. L., Berg, B. J., Hause, E. S., & Polek, D. S. (1990). The role of emotional abuse in physically abusive relationships. Journal of Family Violence, 5, 107–120.CrossRef

Gottesman, I. I., Goldsmith, H. H., & Carey, G. (1997). A developmental and genetic perspective on aggression. In N. L. Segal, G. E. Weisfeld, & C. C. Weisfeld (Eds.), Uniting psychology and biology: Integrative perspectives on human development (pp. 107–130). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.CrossRef

Hines, D. A., & Saudino, K. J. (2003). Gender differences in psychological, physical, and sexual aggression among college students using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales. Violence and Victims, 18, 197–218.PubMedCrossRef

Hines, D. A., & Saudino, K. J. (2004). Genetic and environmental influences on intimate partner aggression: A preliminary study. Violence and Victims, 19, 701–718.

Hutchings, B., & Mednick, S. A. (1977). Criminality in adoptees and their adoptive and biological parents: A pilot study. In S. A. Mednick & K. O. Christiansen (Eds.), Biosocial bases of criminal behavior (pp. 127–141). New York: Gardner Press.

Loehlin, J. C. (1987). Latent variable models: An introduction to factor, path, and structural analysis. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Magnus, P., Berg, K., & Nance, W. E. (1983). Predicting zygosity in Norwegian twin pairs born 1915–1960. Clinical Genetics, 24, 103–112.PubMedCrossRef

McGue, M., & Bouchard, T. J. (1984). Adjustment of twin data for effects of age and sex. Behavior Genetics, 14, 325–343.PubMedCrossRef

Morse, B. J. (1995). Beyond the conflict tactics scale: Assessing gender differences in partner violence. Violence and Victims, 10, 251–272.PubMed

Murphy, C. M., & O’Leary, K. D. (1989). Psychological aggression predicts physical aggression in early marriage. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 579–582.PubMedCrossRef

Neale, M., & Cardon, L. R. (1992). Methodology for genetic studies of twins and families. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer.

Neale, M., Boker, S. M., Xie, G., & Maes, H. H. (2002). Mx: Statistical modeling. VCU Box 900126, Richmond, VA 23298: Department of Psychiatry. 6th Edition.

Plomin, R., & DeFries, J. C. (1979). Multivariate genetic analysis of twin data on scholastic abilities. Behavior Genetics, 9, 505– 517.PubMedCrossRef

Plomin, R., DeFries, J. C., McClearn, G. E., & Rutter, M. (1997). Behavioral Genetics, (3rd ed.). New York: W.J. Freeman and Company.

Raine, A. (1993). The psychopathology of crime: Criminal behavior as a clinical disorder. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Scarr, S., & McCartney, K. (1983). How people make their own environments: A theory of genotype-environment effects. Child Development, 54, 424–435.PubMed

Stets, J. E. (1990). Verbal and physical aggression in marriage. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52, 501–514.CrossRef

Straus, M. A. (1974). Leveling, civility, and violence in the family. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 36, 13–29.CrossRef

Straus, M. A., Hamby, S. L., Boney-McCoy, S., & Sugarman, D. B. (1996). The revised conflict tactics scale (CTS2). Journal of Family Issues, 17, 283–316.CrossRef

Straus, M. A., & Sweet, S. (1992). Verbal/symbolic aggression in couples: Incidence rates and relationships to personal characteristics. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 346–357.CrossRef

Title: Etiological Similarities Between Psychological and Physical Aggression in Intimate Relationships: A Behavioral Genetic Exploration
Authors: Kimberly J. Saudino
Denise A. Hines
Publication date: 01-04-2007
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers
Published in: Journal of Family Violence / Issue 3/2007
Print ISSN: 0885-7482
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2851
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-006-9059-6

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Etiological Similarities Between Psychological and Physical Aggression in Intimate Relationships: A Behavioral Genetic Exploration

Abstract

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2007

A Participant Evaluation of the U.S. Navy Parent Support Program

Empathic Deficits Among Male Batterers: A Multidimensional Approach

Young Children’s Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence: Towards a Developmental Risk and Resilience Framework for Research and Intervention

Domestic Violence and Risk Factors among Korean Immigrant Women in the United States

Important Announcement: Online Submission and Refereeing System is Launched

Domestic Violence Abusers: A Descriptive Study of the Characteristics of Defenders in Protection from Abuse Orders in Sedgwick County, Kansas