The Significance of the Dark Personality in Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrated by Sexual Minority Men Against Same-Sex Partners

Abstract

Intimate partner violence between heterosexuals has typically received more attention than that between sexual minority men with same-sex partners. Prevalence studies have estimated that between 34% and 45% of men in same-sex relationships have been subject to IPV. The current study aimed to investigate the role of the Dark Triad personality traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) among self-identified cis-gender bisexual males and cis-gender gay males according to whether or not they reported perpetrating IPV against a same-sex partner at least once in an adult relationship. Determining whether dark personality and its traits, which can lead to socially aversive behaviours, was important in the context of IPV as they are linked to aggression as a behavioural tendency. For bisexual and gay males as a collective sexual minority, a higher overall level of dark personality was linked to the perpetration of IPV against a same-sex partner. This was also found in the case of bisexual males and gay males as separate sexual minority groups with a moderate effect size indicating the importance of considering dark side of the personality activation in the behaviour tendency toward aggression in an intimate relationship. The study also examined the hypothesis narcissism and psychopathy would be more significant in the perpetration of IPV than Machiavellianism. It was found that this trait had a small effect size opposed to predicted moderate effect sizes being observed for narcissism and psychopathy. A possible difference between bisexual males and gay males in terms of levels of psychopathy and IPV perpetration was identified. The practical implication is that those working in the field of IPV should take into account dark personality traits in identification of and intervention in abusive interpersonal relationships. It was concluded that the dark personality and its composite traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, are important variables that need to be taken into account in future research on specific forms of IPV perpetration to better understand the nuances involved in IPV among sexual minority men.