THE RELATIONSHIP STANDARDS AND ASSUMPTIONS OF VIOLENT VERSUS NONVIOLENT HUSBANDS

The present study was designed to compare the relationship standards a nd assumptions of violent and nonviolent husbands, using the Relations hip Beliefs Inventory (Epstein & Eidelson, 1981) and the Inventory of Specific Relationship Standards (Epstein, Baucom, Rankin, & Burnett, 1 991). Two groups of maritally violent and distressed men were recruite d: 16 men arrested for violence and court-ordered to domestic violent treatment programs and 19 men from the community. Two nonviolent compa rison groups were recruited: 20 martially distressed men and 20 nondis tressed men. A series of a priori contrasts revealed no significant di fferences between the violent/distressed and nonviolent/distressed gro ups. All demonstrated significant differences were between the distres sed and nondistressed groups. Relative to nondistressed men, unhappily married men endorsed more dysfunctional standards and assumptions; th ey also reported being less satisfied with how their standards were be ing met by their partners and being more upset when their relationship standards were not met. The theoretical and clinical implications of the are discussed.