Neuroticism, Marital Violence, and the Moderating Role of Stress and Behavioral Skills

• Published in: Journal of personality and social psychology 2008-07, Vol.95 (1), p.166-180
• Main Authors: Hellmuth, Julianne C, McNulty, James K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aggression; Aggression - psychology; Aggressive Behavior; Behavioural psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Communication; Developmental psychology; Domestic violence; Effects; Family environment. Family history; Family studies; Family Violence; Female; Gender Identity; Human; Humans; Husbands; Interpersonal Communication; Interpersonal Relations; Intimate Partner Violence; Male; Male-female relationships; Marriage; Medical sciences; Mental disorders; Mental stress; Motivation; Neurotic Disorders - diagnosis; Neurotic Disorders - psychology; Neuroticism; Personal relationships; Personality Inventory; Problem Solving; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk Factors; Social behavior disorders. Criminal behavior. Delinquency; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Social psychology; Spouse Abuse - psychology; Stress; Stress, Psychological - complications; Studies; Violence; Wives
• ISSN: 0022-3514; 1939-1315
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.95.1.166

Do high levels of neuroticism predict intimate partner violence (IPV)? Although neuroticism may predispose partners to increased risks of IPV perpetration, the extent to which it predicts such perpetration is likely to depend on the broader context of the relationship. Consistent with this prediction, the current longitudinal study of 169 community couples revealed that the effects of neuroticism on IPV perpetration over the first 4 years of marriage were moderated by observations of problem-solving behavior and objective ratings of chronic stress. Specifically, although husbands and wives who scored higher on a measure of neuroticism at the outset of marriage engaged in more IPV throughout the marriage on average, those who possessed more effective problem-solving skills or experienced lower levels of stress were significantly less likely to engage in IPV. Results highlight the importance of considering the broader relationship context when examining predictors of specific interpersonal processes.