A Dyadic Perspective on Young Adult Dating Aggression

<p>Guided by the dynamic developmental systems theory (Capaldi, Knoble, Shortt, & Kim, 2012), the present studies examined individual and relationship level risk factors for dating aggression. A series of Actor Partner Interdependence Models (APIM; Kenny, 1996; Kenny & Cook, 1999) were used to assess associations between males' and females' risk factors and dating aggression within 137 young adult couples. Findings indicated that both partners' reports of a number of relationship characteristics were associated with aggression, including negative interactions, satisfaction, jealousy, and anxious and avoidant relational styles. Moreover, there were actor partner interactions between male and female jealousy, anxious styles, and negative interactions. For those couples in which both partners had high levels of the characteristic, the risk for aggression was elevated, whereas for couples in which one or both partners had low levels of the characteristic, the risk for aggression was generally mitigated. Additionally, both partners' levels of psychopathology were linked to aggression, and the strength of these effects depended upon the presence of certain partner characteristics and negative relationship characteristics. Findings demonstrated that the risk for aggression stems from the individual level, the relationship level, the intersection between these levels, and from interactions between romantic partners' risk factors. Results add merit to the utility of using a dyadic approach to examine the risk factors associated with young adult dating aggression, and highlight several critical points of intervention for young adult couples.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Year dc:date.available

2019

Author dc:creator

• Lantagne, Ann

Contributors dc:contributor

• Wyndol Furman, Ph.D.

• Dating aggression
• Dyadic
• Young adult
• Counseling Psychology
• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1671

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-2671