Comparison of Six Models for Violent Romantic Relationships in College Men and Women

Abstract

Six types of parent and partner violence were compared as possible models for violence in the romantic relationships of 608 college students (164 men, 444 women). Participants used the Conflict Tactics Scale to report violence to and from the present partner, as well as violence from mother to father, father to mother, mother to participant, father to participant, and past partners to participant. Stepwise multiple regression revealed that violence to the present partner was explained by both partner and parent models of violence for men (R 2 = .39) and women (R 2 = .51), with violence from the present partner found to be the most powerful model. Violence received from the mother was the most powerful parental model for violence in the present romantic relationship, but for women it was associated with receiving violence, whereas for men it was associated with both receiving and inflicting violence.