Sex differences in physically aggressive acts between heterosexual partners: A meta-analytic review

Meta-analyses are reported of sex differences in acts of physical aggression to heterosexual partners, derived from the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) [J Marriage Fam 8 (1979) 75], using methods based on standardized mean differences, and on odds ratios. Women were more likely than men to throw something at the other, slap, kick, bite, or punch, and hit with an object. Men were more likely than women to beat up, and to choke or strangle. Differences ranged from very small to medium. Samples selected for marital problems showed large effects in the male direction, and student samples showed effects more in the female direction than community samples. Effect sizes derived from partners' reports were more in the male direction than those derived from self-reports, but the overall pattern of results was similar. A similar pattern of findings resulted from the use of odds ratios to derive effect sizes, although the magnitude of effects was greater. Limitations of the current CTS measures and the database are discussed.