COMPARING THE RESPONSES OF MARITALLY VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT SPOUSES TO PROBLEMATIC MARITAL AND NONMARITAL SITUATIONS - ARE THE SKILL DEFICITS OF PHYSICALLY AGGRESSIVE HUSBANDS AND WIVES GLOBAL

This study compared the competency of responses offered by spouses in violent and nonviolent marriages to problematic marital and nonmarital situations. Twenty-five maritally violent and distressed, IO nonviole nt but maritally distressed, and 23 nonviolent and nondistressed coupl es participated. Each spouse listened to narrations of marital and non marital (e.g., boss or friend) problematic situation vignettes. Partic ipants were asked what they would say and do in each situation. A codi ng system designed with input from nonviolent, happily married individ uals showed that violent spouses provided less competent responses tha n nonviolent spouses for both marital and nonmarital situations and fo r both Ist and 2nd responses. The findings suggest that violent-distre ssed spouses have particular difficulty with marital situations.