DEPENDENCY CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTNER ASSAULTIVE MEN

Men who had physically assaulted female partners (PA group; N = 24) we re compared with maritally discordant nonviolent men (DNV group; N = 2 4) and happily married nonviolent men (HNV group; N = 24) on measures of dependency and related constructs. PA men reported higher interpers onal dependency, higher spouse-specific dependency, and lower self-est eem than both contrast groups, but did not differ significantly on a m easure of jealousy. Data reduction indicated two constructs underlying these measures: perceived personal inadequacy and emotional investmen t in the primary relationship. PA men were high on both, while DNV men had moderate perceived inadequacy and low emotional investment and HN V men had low perceived inadequacy and high emotional investment. The findings support the clinical observation that interpersonal dependenc y is an important factor in the motivational dynamics of relationship violence.