Family Precursors

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Abstract
A consistent finding is that children of parents who are physically aggressive with each other are more likely to be abusive spouses as adults than are children of nonaggressive parents. Interparental aggression also is predictive of dating aggression for males. In this study, 408 respondents were asked to report on the frequency of physical aggression in a recent dating relationship and between their parents. Respondents also reported the consequences subsequent to aggression. Consistent with prior research, there was a positive relation between interparental aggression and dating aggression for men. An association between women's self-report of aggression and witnessing one or both parents aggress was also found. Item analyses revealed that dating, aggressive respondents anticipate fewer negative dating consequences from their aggression. Further, dating, aggressive respondents experience both negative and positive consequences of their aggression.