Absence Versus Presence of Intimate Partner Violence in a Sample of Spanish Women: Conflict Resolution Strategies and Associated Variables

Abstract

Through two studies (N = 544 women), the role of types of relational problems (absence vs. presence of intimate partner violence [IPV]) in the use of conflict resolution strategies (exit and loyalty) was analyzed, considering the serial mediating effect of dependency and commitment and the moderating effect of benevolent sexism. The main results showed that higher scores in dependency and commitment predicted less use of exit strategies among women who reported IPV. No significant results were found regarding loyalty strategy and benevolent sexism. Ultimately, implications for women's perceived risk of future violence were discussed.

Keywords

dependency commitment benevolent sexism risk perception conflict resolution strategies

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Arriaga

(1997). Joking violence among highly committed individuals. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 17(6), 591–610. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260502017006001

Arriaga

Agnew

(2001). Being committed: Affective, cognitive, and conative components of relationship commitment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(9), 1190–1203. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167201279011

Bell

Naugle

(2005). Understanding stay/leave decisions in violent relationships: A behaviour analytic approach. Behavior and Social Issues, 14(1), 21–45. https://doi.org/10.5210/bsi.v14i1.119

Beltrán-Morillas

Valor-Segura

Expósito

(2019). Partner-specific dependency and guilt as predictors of forgiveness in Spanish university women. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 22(e19), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2019.19

Caetano

Field

C. A.

Ramisetty-Mikler

McGrath

(2005). The 5-year course of intimate partner violence among white, black, and Hispanic couples in the United States. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(9), 1039–1057. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260505277783

Campbell

Webster

Koziol-McLain

Block

C. R.

Campbell

Curry

M. A.

Wilt

S. A.

(2003). Assessing risk factors for intimate partner homicide. National Institute of Justice Journal, 250, 14–19. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/jr000250e.pdf

Cattaneo

Bell

Goodman

Dutton

(2007). Intimate partner violence victims’accuracy in assessing their risk of re-abuse. Journal of Family Violence, 22(6), 429–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-007-9097-8

Cummings

A. M.

González-Guarda

R. M.

Sandoval

M. F.

(2013). Intimate partner violence among Hispanics: A review of literature. Journal of Family Violence, 28(2), 153–171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9478-5

Denes

Dillow

M. R.

Lannuti

Bevan

J. L.

(2020). Acceptable experimentation? Investigating reasons for same-sex infidelity and women’s anticipated responses to a male partner’s hypothetical same-sex infidelity. Personality and Individual Differences, 160, 109929. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.109929

10.

Devries

K. M.

Mak

J. Y.

Garcia-Moreno

Petzold

Child

J. C.

Falder

Pallitto

(2013). The global prevalence of intimate partner violence against women. Science (New York, N.Y.), 340(6140),1527–1528. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1240937

11.

Drigotas

S. M.

Whitney

G. A.

Rusbult

C. E.

(1995). On the peculiarities of loyalty: A diary study of responses to dissatisfaction in everyday life. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21(6), 596–609. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167295216006

12.

Expósito

Herrera

M. C.

(2009). Social perception of violence against women: Individual and psychosocial characteristics of victims and abusers. The European Journal of Pyschology Applied to Legal Context, 1(1), 123–145. https://journals.copmadrid.org/ejpalc/art/5ac8bb8a7d745102a978c5f8ccdb61b8

13.

Expósito

Herrera

M. C.

Moya

Glick

(2010). Don’t rock the boat: Women’s benevolent sexism predicts fears of marital violence. Psychology of Women Quartertly, 34(1), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-402.2009.01539.x

14.

Expósito

Moya

Glick

(1998). Sexismo ambivalente: Medición y correlatos. Revista de Psicología Social, 13(2), 159–169. https://doi.org/10.1174/021347498760350641

15.

Fanslow

Robinson

(2010). Help-seeking behaviors and reasons for help seeking reported by a representative sample of women victims of intimate partner violence in New Zealand. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 25(5), 929–951. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260509336963

16.

Faul

Erdfelder

Buchner

Lang

A. G.

(2009). Statistical power analysing using G*power 3.1.: Test for correlation and regression analysis. Behaviours Research Methods, 41(4), 1149–1160. https://doi.org/10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149

17.

Fitzpatrick

Salgado

Suvak

King

(2004). Associations of gender and gender-role ideology with behavioral and attitudinal features of intimate partner aggression. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 5(2), 91–102. https://doi.org/10.1037/1524-9220.5.2.91

18.

Flanagan

J. C.

(1954). The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51(4), 327–358. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0061470

19.

García-Díaz

Lana-Pérez

Fernández-Feito

Bringas-Molleda

Rodríguez-Franco

Rodríguez-Díaz

F. J.

(2017). Actitudes sexistas y reconocimiento del maltrato en parejas jóvenes. Atención Primaria, 50(7), 398–405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aprim.2017.04.001

20.

Garrido-Macías

Valor-Segura

Expósito

(2017). ¿Dejaría a mi pareja? Influencia de la gravedad de la transgresión, la satisfacción y el compromiso en la toma de decisión. Psychosocial Intervention, 26(2), 111–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psi.2016.12.001

21.

Gilbert

Gordon

(2017). Predicting forgiveness in women experiencing intimate partner violence. Violence Against Women, 23(4), 452–468. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801216644071

22.

Glick

Fiske

S. T.

(1996). The ambivalent sexism inventory: Differentiating hostile and benevolent sexism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(3), 491–512. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.70.3.491

23.

Glick

Fiske

S. T.

(2001). An ambivalent alliance: Hostile and benevolent sexism as complementary justifications for gender inequality. American Psychologist, 56(2), 109–118. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.2.109

24.

Gondolf

Beeman

(2003). Women’s accounts of domestic violence versus tactics-based outcome categories. Violence Against Women, 9(3), 278–301. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801202250072

25.

Gordon

K. C.

Burton

Porter

(2004). Predicting the intentions of women in domestic violence shelters to return to partners: Does forgiveness play a role? Journal of Family Psychology, 18(2), 331–338. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.18.2.331

26.

Hanley

M. J.

O’Neil

(1997). Violence and commitment: A study of dating couples. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 12(5), 685–703. https://doi.org/10.1177/088626097012005006

27.

Hardesty

Crossman

Haselschwerdt

Rafaelli

Ogolsky

Johnson

(2015). Toward a standard approach to operationalizing coercive control and classifying violence types. Journal of Marriage and Family, 77(4), 833–843. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12201

28.

Hayes

A. F.

(2013). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. The Guilford Press.

29.

Heim

E. M.

Trujillo

Quintanilla

(2018). “My partner will change”: Cognitive distortion in battered women in Bolivia. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 33(8), 1348–1365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515615145

30.

Hurtado

Ciscar

Rubio

(2004). El conflicto de pareja como variable asociada a la violencia de género contra la mujer: Consecuencias sobre la salud sexual y mental. Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica, 9(1), 49–64. https://doi.org/10.5944/rppc.vol.9.num.1.2004.3967

31.

Ismayilova

(2009). Intimate partner violence in three former Soviet Union countries (Azerbaijan, Moldova, and Ukraine): Prevalence, risk factors, and women’s reproductive health [Doctoral Dissertation, Columbia University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. https://www.proquest.com/docview/304873565?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true

32.

Juarros-Basterretxea

Overall

Herrero

Rodríguez-Díaz

F. J.

(2019). Considering the effect of sexism on psychological intimate partner violence: A study with imprisoned men. The European Journal of Psychology Applied to Legal Context, 11(2), 61–69. https://doi.org/10.5093/ejpalc2019a1

33.

Kelley

Thibaut

(1978). Interpersonal relations: A theory of interdependence. Wiley.

34.

Kline

Pleasant

Whitton

Markman

(2006). Understanding couple conflict. In Vangelisti

A. L.

Perlman

(Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of personal relationships (pp. 445–462). Cambridge University Press.

35.

Laursen

Hafen

(2010). Future directions in the study of close relationships: Conflict is bad (except when it’s not). Social Development, 19(4), 858–872. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2009.00546.x

36.

Agnew

(2003). Commitment and its theorized determinants: A meta-analysis of the investment model. Personal Relationships, 10(1), 37–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6811.00035

37.

Dove

N. L.

Agnew

C. R.

Korn

M. S.

Mutso

A. A.

(2010). Predicting nonmarital romantic relationship dissolution: A meta-analytic synthesis. Personal Relationships, 17(3), 377–390. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2010.01285.x

38.

Love

Spencer

Scott

Mendez

Stith

(2018). Perpetrator risk markers for intimate terrorism and situational couple violence: A meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 21(5), 922–931. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838018801331

39.

Margelisch

Schneewind

K. A.

Violette

Perrig-Chiello

(2017). Marital stability, satisfaction and well-being in old age: Variability and continuity in long-term continuously married older persons. Aging & Mental Health, 21(4), 389–398. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2015.1102197

40.

Matos

Rivas

(2018). Violencia de pareja, dependencia emocional y sexismo ambivalente en estudiantes de una escuela nacional superior [Doctoral dissertation, Cesar Vallejo University]. Universidad Cesar Vallejo Institutional Digital Repository. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12692/29437

41.

Montero

León

O. G.

(2007). A guide for naming research studies in psychology. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 7(3), 847–862. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-14302-016

42.

Moya

Glick

Expósito

De Lemus

Hart

(2007). It’s for your own good: Benevolent sexism and women’s reactions to protectively justified restrictions. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33(10), 1421–1434. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167207304790

43.

Ngoc

Weiss

Pollack

(2013). Cultural beliefs, intimate partner violence and mental health functioning among Vietnamese women. Journal of Family Violence, 28(2), 153–171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-012-9478-5

44.

Nicholson

S. B.

Lutz

(2017). The importance of cognitive dissonance in understanding and treating victims of intimate partner violence. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 26(5), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2017.1314989

45.

Novo

Herbón

Amado

(2016). Género y victimización: Efectos en la evaluación de la violencia psicológica sutil y manifiesta, apego adulto y tácticas de resolución de conflictos. Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología y Salud, 7(2), 89–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rips.2016.05.002

46.

Overall

(2018). Does partners’ negative-direct communication during conflict help sustain perceived commitment and relationship quality across time? Social Psychological and Personality Science, 9(4), 481–492. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550617712030

47.

Overall

Sibley

Tan

(2011). The cost and benefits of sexism: Resistance to influence during relationship conflict. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(2), 271–290. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022727

48.

Overall

Sibley

Travaglia

(2010). Loyal but ignored: The benefits and costs of constructive communication behavior. Personal Relationships, 17(1), 127–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2010.01257.x

49.

Pape

K. T.

Arias

(2000). The role of perceptions and attributions in battered women’s intentions of permanently end their violent relationships. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 24(2), 201–214. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005498109271

50.

Rusbult

Johnson

Morrow

(1986). Impact of couple patterns of problem solving on distress and nondistress in dating relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50(4), 744–753. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.50.4.744

51.

Rusbult

Martz

(1995). Remaining in an abusive relationship: An investment model analysis of nonvoluntary dependence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21(6), 558–571. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167295216002

52.

Rusbult

Morrow

Johnson

(1987). Self-esteem and problem-solving behaviour in close relationships. British Journal of Social Psychology, 26(4), 293–303. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-

53.

Rusbult

Van Lange

(2003). Interdependence, interaction, and relationships. Annual Review of Psychology, 54(1), 351–375. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.54.101601.145059

54.

Rusbult

C. E.

Zembrodt

I. M.

(1983). Responses to dissatisfaction in romantic involvements: A multidimensional scaling analysis. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 19, 274–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(83)90042-2

55.

Shrout

Renna

Madison

Alfano

Povoski

Lipari

Kiecolt-Glaser

(2020). Relationship satisfaction predicts lower stress and inflammation in breast cancer survivors: A longitudinal study of within-person and between-person effects. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 118, Article 104808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104708

56.

Szczesna

Przybyla-Basista

(2019). Marital dialogue as a constructive response to dissatisfaction in marriage and its predictors. Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology. Organization and Management Series, 141, 405–419. https://doi.org/10.29119/1641-3466.2019.141.31

57.

Tan

Arriaga

Agnew

(2018). Running on empty: Measuring psychological dependence in close relationships lacking satisfaction. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 35(7), 977–998. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407517702010

58.

Valor-Segura

Expósito

Moya

(2009). Desarrollo y validación de la versión española de spouse-specific dependency scale (SSDS). International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 9(3), 479–500. http://www.aepc.es/ijchp/articulos.php?coid=Espa%EF%BF%BDol&id=334

59.

Valor-Segura

Expósito

Moya

Kluwer

(2014). Don’t leave me: The effect of dependency and emotions in relationship conflict. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 44(9), 579–587. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12250

60.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2005). WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women. Initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses.World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/24159358X/en/

61.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2012). Understanding and addressing violence against women. World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/77432

62.

World Health Organization (WHO). (March 9, 2021a). Devastatingly pervasive: 1 in 3 women globally experience violence. Younger women among those most at risk: WHO. https://www.who.int/news/item/09-03-2021-devastatingly-pervasive-1-in-3-women-globally-experience-violence

63.

World Health Organization (WHO). (March 9, 2021b). Violence against women. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women

64.

Yamawaki

Ochoa-Shipp

Pulsipher

Harlos

Swindler

(2012). Perceptions of domestic violence: The effects of domestic violence myths, victim’s relationship with her abuser, and the decision to return to her abuser. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(16), 3195–3212. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260512441253

65.

Yamawaki

Ostenson

Brown

C. R.

(2009). The functions of gender role traditionality, ambivalent sexism, injury, and frequency of assault on domestic violence perception. A study between Japanese and American college students. Violence Against Women, 15(9), 1126–1142. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012093