The role of family-of-origin violence in men's marital violence perpetration

Abstract

This paper presents overall transmission rates between family-of-origin violence and marital violence, as well as theoretical and empirical work on possible mechanisms of transmission. In identified samples, approximately 60% of the maritally violent men report family-of-origin violence, whereas slightly over 20% of the comparison group of maritally nonviolent men report family-of-origin violence. Modest associations between experiencing violence in the family of origin and marital violence are found in community samples and in studies with prospective and longitudinal designs. Variables that intervene in the association between family-of-origin violence and marital violence are reviewed, with a focus on personal characteristics such as antisocial personality, psychological distress, and attitudes condoning violence, as well as on contextual factors, such as marital problems and conflict resolution style. Variables associated with nonviolence in men who grew up in violent families also are identified, including strong interpersonal connections and the ability to create psychological distance from the family-of-origin violence. Continued empirical investigation of variables that potentiate or mitigate the association between family-of-origin violence and marital violence at different developmental stages is needed to identify explanatory mechanisms and, ultimately, to interrupt the intergenerational transmission of marital violence.