“Demonstrating Masculinity” Via Intimate Partner Aggression: The Moderating Effect of Heavy Episodic Drinking

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the mediational effect of masculine gender role stress on the relation between adherence to dimensions of a hegemonic masculinity and male-to-female intimate partner physical aggression. Men’s history of heavy episodic drinking was also examined as a moderator of the proposed mediation effect. A sample of 392 heterosexual men from the southeastern United States who had been in an intimate relationship within the past year completed measures of hegemonic masculine norms (i.e., status, toughness, and antifemininity), masculine gender role stress, alcohol use patterns, and intimate partner physical aggression. Results indicated that the indirect effects of adherence to the antifemininity and toughness norms on physical aggression toward female intimate partners via masculine gender role stress were significant and marginal, respectively. A significant indirect effect of status was not detected. Moreover, subsequent analyses revealed that the indirect effects of antifemininity and toughness were significant only among men with a history of heavy episodic drinking. These findings suggest that heavy episodic drinking exacerbates a gender-relevant stress pathway for intimate partner aggression among men who adhere to specific norms of masculinity. Overall, results suggest that the proximal effect of heavy episodic drinking focuses men’s attention on gender-based schemas associated with antifemininity and toughness, which facilitates partner-directed aggression as a means to demonstrate these aspects of their masculinity. Implications for the intersection between men’s adherence to specific norms of hegemonic masculinity, cognitive appraisal of gender relevant situations, and characteristic patterns of alcohol consumption are discussed.

Gender Expression, Violence, and Bullying Victimization: Findings From Probability Samples of High School Students in 4 US School Districts

“…For the boys in the sample, this aligns with a robust body of work describing male conformity to masculinity norms as a predictor of aggression, violence perpetration, and violence victimization among men . Conformity to masculinity norms in adolescence and young adulthood has also been associated with heavier alcohol use, which raises risk of experiencing or perpetrating violence . One study even found differences in injury‐risk behaviors associated with conformity to masculinity norms in children as young as 3–6 years old .…”

Dating violence perpetration: Masculine ideology and masculine gender role stress as predictors

“…Contrary to the hypothesis, the result shows that masculine gender role stress does not predict dating violence perpetration. The results are different from the previous research conducted by Reidy et al (2015) and Lisco et al (2015), and indicating the presence of extraneous or mediating variables. Previous research showed that emotion-regulation difficulties mediated these two variables .…”

“…The results suggest that masculine ideology predicts dating violence perpetrated by male college students. These findings are consistent with several previous studies that found the role of masculine ideology as a predictor of intimate partner violence (Lisco et al, 2015). Men who support traditional and rigid values of masculinity tend to engage in more frequent physical violence, sexual violence, and attempt to control their female partners than men who do not adopt traditional masculine values (Casey et al, 2016).…”

“…Other studies have also demonstrated the role of masculine gender role stress as a predictor of intimate partner violence. Men who experience masculine gender role stress reported a higher rate of domestic violence history compared to men who did not experience the stress of masculine gender roles (Lisco, Leone, Gallagher, & Parrott, 2015).…”

The Moderating Role of Trait Anger in The Relationship between Masculine Stress and Intimate Partner Violence

“…A meta-analysis of 20 studies supports the theory that MGRS is a significant predictor of IPV (Baugher & Gazmararian, 2015). Further studies have also found that MGRS was positively correlated with the perpetration of intimate partner physical aggression (Lisco, Leone, Gallagher, & Parrott, 2015) and violence in dating relationships (Jakupcak, Lisak, & Roemer, 2002). The studies indicate that men with higher masculine gender role stress were likely to perpetrate an IPV.…”