The Role of Beliefs, Attitudes and Adverse Childhood Experiences in Predicting Men’s Reactions Towards Their Spouses’ Violence

• Published in: Journal of family violence 2011-02, Vol.26 (2), p.93-99
• Main Author: Pournaghash-Tehrani, Said
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitudes; Behavioural psychology; Belief & doubt; Beliefs; Careers; Childhood; Childhood Factors; Clinical Psychology; Criminology and Criminal Justice; Domestic violence; Families & family life; Family Violence; Husbands; Law and Psychology; Males; Married people; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Original Article; Psychological effects; Psychotherapy and Counseling; Quality of Life Research; Social aspects; Wives
• ISSN: 0885-7482; 1573-2851
• DOI: 10.1007/s10896-010-9345-1

The purpose of the present article was to determine the ability of cognitive factors (beliefs and attitudes) and adverse childhood experiences to predict men’s reactions towards their spouses’ violence. To do so, 120 males who had referred to family court to seek divorce due to spouses’ violence were randomly selected and an author’s -made questionnaire containing 27 subscales was administered to them. Four of the 27 subscales comprised of 22 questions regarding “types of reactions towards spouses’ violence”, “attitudes towards spouse”, and “experiencing family violence during childhood”. Our results showed that witnessing violence during childhood could positively predict reactions such as “cessation of relationship” and “reprisal”. Men’s beliefs regarding “permission to use violence” could positively predict reaction such as “cessation of relationship”. Furthermore, factors such as “Believing his wife is more knowledgeable” and “Wife’s Physical Appearance” negatively predicted reactions such as “Cessation of relationship” and “Tolerance”. Also “Man’s perceived career success” positively predicted the reaction of “Attempts to Resume Relationship”. These results are discussed in the context of the existing literature.