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Multiple stressors, violence in the family of origin, and marital aggression: A longitudinal investigation

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Abstract

The negative perception of stress is significantly associated with marital aggression, as is violence in one's family of origin. However, most individuals experiencing stress do not engage in family violence. The present study tests an aspect of social learning theory, proposing that violence in one's family of origin predisposes one to react to stress by aggressing against one's spouse. Two hundred and seventy five couples completed questionnaires measuring multiple (work and life) stress, and marital aggression 6 and 18 months following their wedding. Information on violence in their family of origin was collected 1 month prior to their wedding. Moderated multiple regressions showed that for women, stress predicted marital aggression 1 year later after controlling for age, education, and initial marital aggression. No effects emerged for violence in the family of origin for either men or women. Conceptual implications for further studying the role of violence in the family of origin and the relationship between multiple Stressors and physical aggression are advanced.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario

    Karyl E. MacEwen & Julian Barling

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  1. Karyl E. MacEwen
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  2. Julian Barling
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Additional information

Completion of this research was supported by NIMH Grant MH35340 to Dr. K. D. O'Leary and Dr. A. Rosenbaum, Co-Principal Investigators, and grants from Imperial Oil and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Grant 410-85-1139) to the second author.

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MacEwen, K.E., Barling, J. Multiple stressors, violence in the family of origin, and marital aggression: A longitudinal investigation. J Fam Viol 3, 73–87 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994667

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