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Abstract:
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Violence in relationships is a serious social issue in our society. However, the developmental path that leads to this specific type of aggressive behaviour is unclear. The influence of familial factors, including violence in the family, parenting practices, lack of prosocial skills, and involvement in deviant peer groups, on the development of general aggression has been widely studied. Other research suggests that attachment bonds to parents are critical in the development of aggression, providing a role model for interactions in relationships and a foundation for intimacy, social development, and empathy. Further, adult attachment patterns that develop based on bonds with parents impact on how people interact in close relationships and are considered an important factor in sexual aggression and aggression in relationships. In addition to familial risk factors, interpersonal skills deficits, personality characteristics, negative influences of peers, and sexist attitudes may be important risk factors for aggression in relationships. The first purpose of the present study was to explore risk factors for aggression in the context of relationships. The second purpose was to compare groups of nonoffenders (students), nonviolent offenders, offenders violent outside of relationships, offenders violent within relationships, and offenders violent both within and outside of relationships with respect to familial variables, attachment styles, problem-solving skills, personality styles, influences of male peers, and sexist attitudes. The results indicated that family violence in childhood, poor attachment bonds with parents, interpersonal problem-solving deficits, insecure attachment styles in adulthood, abusive personality characteristics, negative influences from male peers, and sexist attitudes are important predictors of aggression in relationships. These risk factors also differentiated nonoffenders from offenders. However, the lack of differences among offender groups on these predictors points to a more general model of criminality, consistent with results of longitudinal studies with violent and nonviolent offenders. Implications in terms of parent training and early prevention with children at risk are discussed. |
