Male-initiated partner abuse during marital separation prior to divorce.
The purpose of this study was to assess predictors of male-initiated psychological and physical partner abuse during the separation process prior to divorce among a sample of 80 divorced fathers who reported no physical violence during their marriages. The predictor variables examined were male gender-role identity, female-initiated divorces, dependence on one's former wife, depression, anxiety, and coparental conflict. Through ordinary least square (OLS) regression techniques, it was found that male gender-role identity was positively related to male-initiated psychological abuse during separation. Logistic regression analyses revealed that male-initiated psychological abuse, anxiety level, coparental conflict, and dependence on one's former spouse increased the odds of a man engaging in physical abuse. However, depression decreased the odds of separation physical abuse. The models predicting both male-initiated psychological abuse (F = 2.20, p < .05, R2 = .15) and physical violence during the separation process were significant (Model chi2 = 35.00, df= 7, p < .001).
Southwest Texas State University-San Marcos, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, 78666, USA. MT15@swt.edu
Michelle L
ML
Toews
Patrick C
PC
McKenry
Beth S
BS
Catlett
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting; D012737:Sex Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*