Childhood Exposure to Interparental Conflict: Memory Biases and Intergenerational Patterns of Conflict in Romantic Relationships

Testing a model that explains the ways in which interparental conflict shapes later intimate relationships was the goal of the present study. Participants were 94 college students at Virginia Commonwealth University, a large state university with a diverse student body. The study found that violence occurs with alarming frequency in the dating relationships of university students. Analyses also revealed an intergenerational pattern of violence in which individuals from high conflict homes were more likely to use violent conflict resolution strategies in their own adult romantic relationships. Specifically, young adults from homes characterized by high levels of verbal conflict and minor physical aggression were more likely to be both the perpetrator and the victim of physical violence than young adults from adaptive/low conflict homes. These young adults were also more likely to instigate verbal conflict within their own romantic relationships than individuals from adaptive/low conflict homes. Contrary to study hypotheses, young adults who witnessed severe physical violence between their parents were not more likely to be in a relationship characterized by physical or psychological aggression than other participants. Finally, the analyses support the hypothesis that dysfunctional relationship beliefs is a partial mediator through which childhood exposure to interparental conflict influences psychological aggression toward a romantic partner. No evidence of other cognitive and memory biases was found. These findings have important implications for research and intervention efforts.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2004

Author dc:creator

• Nelson, Christine A.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Arnold L. Stolberg

• intimacy
• violence
• intervention
• conflict
• parent
• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/846

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-1845