Do Emotion Regulation and Empathic Concern Moderate the Association Between Dark Triad Traits and Intimate Partner Violence?

Abstract

Psychological, physical, and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent among college-aged emerging adults (aged 18–29 years). Aggressive and dark triad personality traits have been linked to an increased risk of IPV, yet this approach does not identify modifiable risk factors. This study extends current research on personality traits and IPV by testing modifiable factors, namely, emotion regulation and empathic concern, that may alter the association of dark triad traits with psychological, physical, and sexual IPV. College students (N = 554) in a dating relationship for more than 2 weeks completed an online survey. Participants self-identified as Black (22.9%), Latinx (40.6%), and White (34.8%); a majority identified as women (74.1%). Results showed that low empathic concern intensified the association between dark triad traits and psychological and physical IPV. Individuals relatively high on dark triad traits are thus more likely to engage in monitoring a partner, dictating their activities or appearance, or hitting them when they also exhibit low empathy. Emotion regulation also moderated the relationship between dark triad traits and psychological IPV, but not for physical or sexual IPV. Emotion regulation, however, was a significant correlate of physical IPV, suggesting this type of IPV may be related to both emotion dysregulation and intentional efforts to control a partner. In contrast, emotion regulation and dark triad traits were independently linked to sexual IPV, suggesting sexual IPV may be driven by different mechanisms such as opportunistic or exploitative tendencies, factors that are less influenced by empathy. Results emphasize targeting empathic concern and emotion regulation to reduce IPV risk among those high in dark triad traits.