Do self-control depletion and negative emotion contribute to intimate partner aggression? A lab-based study.

Abstract

Objective: Intimate partner aggression (IPA) is a serious problem among dating couples. The present study examined dyadic and situational processes that may lead to IPA perpetration among a sample of 59 heterosexual couples (total n = 118), within the framework of Finkel’s I3 model. Method: IPA was assessed using an in vivo aggression task, in the context of a weak inhibiting factor (self-control depletion) and a strong impellance factor (negative emotion) generated during in vivo verbal conflict between partners (functioning as an instigating trigger). Results: Actor–partner interdependence model analyses demonstrated that negative emotion (prediscussion and reactivity) positively predicted men’s aggression and the interaction between emotion reactivity and self-control depletion predicted women’s partner aggression. Several partner effects emerged as well. Conclusion: These findings provide support for the I3 model and suggest that during conflictual encounters both partners may recognize and respond to each other’s negative mood and depletion states in ways that escalate aggression. The current study contributes to our understanding of the individual and dyadic processes leading to IPA perpetration.

The Effects of Alcohol Intoxication and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies on Lab-Based Partner Aggression

“…In support of the CN model, several experimental studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between negative affect and aggression (Pedersen, 2006;Verona & Curtin, 2006). In addition, increases in negative emotion during couple conflict are positively related to IPA perpetration as measured with an analogue aggression task (Watkins, DiLillo, Hoffman, & Templin, 2013).…”

“…Participants were randomized individually to an alcohol condition, and then mirroring procedures used by Ray et al (2008), asked to recall a past angering event with their partner using a randomly assigned emotion regulation strategy. In vivo partner aggression was assessed using a competitive reaction time game (Bushman 1995;Taylor, 1967;Watkins et al, 2013), in which participants were able to allocate a self-selected duration and volume of white noise, ostensibly to be heard by their intimate partner.…”

“…Consistent with previous work (Bushman & Baumeister, 1998;Watkins et al, 2013), two aggression variables were created by averaging the noise intensity and noise duration from the first trial and the second trial. The first trial has been shown to provide the best measure of unprovoked aggression because participants have not yet received a blast of white noise from their ostensible opponent (Bushman & Baumeister, 1998;Twenge et al, 2001).…”

“…Empirical and meta-analytic studies have found results from this paradigm to be correlated with self-report measures of aggression (e.g., Carlson et al, 1989;Giancola & Zeichner, 1995). Further, the present version of the Taylor paradigm has been used in many prior studies as a measure of interpersonal aggression (e.g., Bushman, 1995;Bushman & Baumeister, 1998;DeWall et al, 2007) and in one study examining IPA (Watkins et al, 2013). …”

“…their partner using a randomly assigned emotion regulation strategy. In vivo partner aggression was assessed using a competitive reaction time game (Bushman 1995;Taylor, 1967;Watkins et al, 2013), in which participants were able to allocate a self-selected duration and volume of white noise, ostensibly to be heard by their intimate partner.Participants also completed a self-report measure of IPA propensity. …”