MARITAL SATISFACTION AND MARITAL VIOLENCE - MODERATING EFFECTS OF ATTRIBUTIONAL PROCESSES

The moderating effects of causal and responsibility attributions for n egative partner behavior on the relationship between marital satisfact ion and marital violence were examined. Sixty-six married couples repo rted on their marital satisfaction, their attributions for negative pa rtner behavior, and their own use of physical aggression during confli ct in their relationships. Responsibility attributions moderated the r elationship between marital satisfaction and aggression among wives bu t not among husbands. Specifically, marital satisfaction and physical aggression were significantly related for wives high in responsibility attributions but not for husbands or for wives low in negative attrib utions. Potential reasons for gender differences in the pattern of res ults and their implications for treatment are discussed.