Demand withdraw interaction patterns between different types of batterers and their spouses

The investigation of subtypes of violent men could provide invaluable infor mation to researchers and clinicians. In earlier studies, investigators exa mined whether subtypes of male batterers could be identified based on physi ological markers in combination with observational and self-report perspect ives. In a sample of batterers and their wives, they found a physiological marker that discriminated between two groups of violent men on several inte resting dimensions. To highlight the importance of studying batterer typolo gies, the present study examined differences in marital interaction pattern s across the two groups of batterers. Analyses revealed clinically relevant patterns of interaction in the two groups, and effect sizes indicating the possibility of differences between the two types of batterers. Implication s for future research as well as therapy are discussed.