title: Self-regulatory failure and intimate partner violence perpetration.
abstract: Five studies tested the hypothesis that self-regulatory failure is an important predictor of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Study 1 participants were far more likely to experience a violent impulse during conflictual interaction with their romantic partner than they were to enact a violent behavior, suggesting that self-regulatory processes help individuals refrain from perpetrating IPV when they experience a violent impulse. Study 2 participants high in dispositional self-control were less likely to perpetrate IPV, in both cross-sectional and residualized-lagged analyses, than were participants low in dispositional self-control. Study 3 participants verbalized more IPV-related cognitions if they responded immediately to partner provocations than if they responded after a 10-s delay. Study 4 participants whose self-regulatory resources were experimentally depleted were more violent in response to partner provocation (but not when unprovoked) than were nondepleted participants. Finally, Study 5 participants whose self-regulatory resources were experimentally bolstered via a 2-week training regimen exhibited less violent inclinations than did participants whose self-regulatory resources had not been bolstered. These findings hint at the power of incorporating self-regulation dynamics into predictive models of IPV perpetration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-2710, USA. finkel@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Eli J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Finkel
authors.forename: C Nathan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: DeWall
authors.forename: Erica B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Slotter
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oaten
authors.forename: Vangie A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Foshee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D002605:Character; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D004532:Ego; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007389:Internal-External Control; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult