VIOLENT MARRIED-COUPLES ATTRIBUTIONS FOR VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT SELF AND PARTNER BEHAVIORS

We compared the attributions offered by spouses in violent relationships for self- and partner-initiated violent behaviors to those offered for negative but nonviolent behaviors. Twenty-four husbands and eighteen wives in violent marriages were recruited; they provided attributional ratings for behaviors that had occurred in their marriage. Relative to their ratings of negative, nonviolent behaviors, spouses were less likely to believe that violent behaviors, either husband- or wife-initiated, would occur again in the future. Relative to their attributions for nonviolent husband behaviors, husbands were not consistently more likely to excuse their own violence; wives were more likely to attribute responsibility for husband violence to the husband. Relative to their attributions for nonviolent wife behaviors, husbands tended to "excuse" wife violent behavior, both husbands and wives were more likely to attribute wife violence to the husband. The implications of these data and directions for future research are discussed.