The Effects of Instigation, Anger, and Emotion Regulation on Intimate Partner Violence Related Behaviors: Examination of the Perfect Storm Theory

The present study was an empirical evaluation of I³ “perfect storm” theory (“I-Cubed”;Finkel & Eckhardt, 2013; Finkel, 2014), in which the interactive risk processes of instigation, emotion regulation, and trait anger were examined in the prediction of intimate partner violence (IPV) related behaviors. In a 2 X 4 between subjects design, a sample of college undergraduates (N = 180) with a history of IPV were randomly assigned to use 1 of 4 emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal, distraction, suppression, or no instruction) while listening to either a anger arousing (instigation) or neutral (no instigation) imagined relationship scenario presented using the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations (ATSS) paradigm. IPV-related behaviors were assessed via participants’ coded aggressive verbalizations during the imagined relationship scenario and self-reported desire to engage in IPV-related behaviors following the ATSS. Results supported the “perfect storm” hypothesis that greatest risk for IPV-related behaviors occurred when participants who endorsed high (versus low) levels of trait anger experienced provocation and engaged in suppression as a weak inhibitory strategy for emotion regulation χ²(1) = 20.34, p < .001 (r = .62). In addition, the prosocial outcome of negotiation with one’s partner was endorsed most frequently following the use of cognitive reappraisal without provocation (F(3, 164) = 2.903, p <.05). Implications for future research and intervention are discussed in the context of “perfect storm” theory.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychological Sciences

Year

2015

Author dc:creator

• Birkley, Erica Lynn

Contributors dc:contributor

• Christopher I Eckhardt
• Douglas Samuel
• Susan C South
• James M Tyler

• anger
• emotion regulation
• instigation
• intimate partner violence
• suppression

Repository record dc:identifier

https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/1168

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:docs.lib.purdue.edu:open_access_dissertations-2384