Dating partners' responses to simulated dating conflict: violence chronicity, expectations, and emotional quality of relationship

The focus of this study was couple emotions and expectations underlying chronic dating violence. The author categorized undergraduate partners in dating relationships into chronic violent versus nonchronic or nonviolent relationships based on Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (M. A. Straus, S. L. Hamby, S. Boney-McCoy, & D. B. Sugarman, 1996) scores. Results showed that men and women in chronic violent relationships, versus those who were not in chronic violent relationships, rated their current relationships as lower in positive affective tone and listening and understanding. Women in chronic violent relationships, versus other women, were more likely to expect their postviolent relationships to improve, to remain with their partners, and to experience lower anticipatory negative emotion about violence. Men in chronic violent relationships, versus other men, expected that their postviolent relationship would become increasingly violent and were in relationships of longer duration.