Physical aggression and marital dysfunction: A longitudinal analysis

Shortly after marriage, 56 couples provided data on physical aggression and other predictors of marital adjustment. At 6-month intervals over the next 4 years, spouses reported on their marital quality and stability. Results indicated that marital dysfunction was more common among aggressive than am ong nonaggressive couples (70% vs. 38%) and among severely aggressive than among moderately aggressive couples (93% vs. 46%). Aggression remained a re liable predictor of marital outcomes after the authors controlled for stres sful events and negative communication. These findings help to refine devel opmental models of marital dysfunction, which often overlook the role of ag gression, and can provide information for prevention programs for marital d istress, which typically do not distinguish between aggressive and nonaggre ssive couples.