The Effects of Instigation, Experiential Avoidance, and Emotion Dysregulation on Dating Aggression

Physical violence, psychological aggression, and cyber abuse are particularly prevalent in college student dating relationships. A behavioral theory of aggression and violent behavior, I3 Theory predicts that aggressive behavior and dating aggression are most likely to occur in the presence of three processes: instigating cues (e.g., provocation), aggressive-impelling forces (e.g., experiential avoidance), and diminished inhibition (e.g., emotion dysregulation). Recent research suggests that higher levels of experiential avoidance and emotion dysregulation may moderate the relation between provocation and dating aggression. However, no studies to date have examined these variables simultaneously. The purpose of this study was to test I3 Theory using an experimental test of aggression using the Voodoo Doll Task (VDT). College students (N = 269) listened to a neutral recording and then completed a behavioral measure of aggressive tendencies, the VDT. Participants then listened to a provocative jealousy induction scenario and again completed the VDT. Emotion dysregulation marginally accounted for the increase in aggressive tendencies on the VDT following provocation. Emotion dysregulation predicted use of physical, psychological, and cyber aggression, whereas experiential avoidance significantly predicted of cyber aggression.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology, Clinical

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Reeves, Victoria E.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Babcock, Julia C.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Vujanovic, Anka A.
• Derrick, Jaye L.
• Zarling, Amie

• I3 Theory
• Dating aggression
• Cyber abuse
• Emotion dysregulation
• Experiential avoidance

Statement dc:rights

• The author of this work is the copyright owner. UH Libraries and the Texas Digital Library have their permission to store and provide access to this work. Further transmission, reproduction, or presentation of this work is prohibited except with permission of the author(s).

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10657/13225

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/13225