TY - JOUR
T1 - Negative Interpersonal Interactions and Dating Abuse Perpetration: The Mediating Role of Dispositional Forgivingness
AU - Garthe, Rachel C.
AU - Griffin, Brandon J.
AU - Worthington, Everett L.
AU - Goncy, Elizabeth A.
AU - Sullivan, Terri N.
AU - Coleman, Jennifer A.
AU - Davis, Don E.
AU - Kwakye-Nuako, Charlotte O.
AU - Mokushane, Thapelo
AU - Makola, Solomon
AU - Anakwah, Nkansah
AU - Goncy, Liz
PY - 2018/8/1
Y1 - 2018/8/1
N2 - © 2017, The Author(s) 2017. Theory and research suggest that an individual’s negative interactions with his or her parents or romantic partner are associated with the perpetration of dating abuse. Research is beginning to explore the role of forgivingness within abusive romantic relationships, and these preliminary findings suggest that dispositional forgivingness might mediate the relations between negative interpersonal interactions and dating abuse. The current study assessed negative interactions with one’s parents and one’s romantic partner, the frequency of dating abuse perpetration, and dispositional forgivingness of others and oneself among a sample of emerging adults in college (n = 421). Dispositional forgivingness of others was negatively associated with the perpetration of emotional/verbal dating abuse and threatening behaviors, and it mediated relations between negative interpersonal interactions and dating abuse perpetration. Our findings suggest that the tendency to forgive others may explain why some individuals who experience negative interpersonal interactions with parents or romantic partners do not escalate to perpetration of abuse within their romantic relationships. Implications for future research and application are discussed.
AB - © 2017, The Author(s) 2017. Theory and research suggest that an individual’s negative interactions with his or her parents or romantic partner are associated with the perpetration of dating abuse. Research is beginning to explore the role of forgivingness within abusive romantic relationships, and these preliminary findings suggest that dispositional forgivingness might mediate the relations between negative interpersonal interactions and dating abuse. The current study assessed negative interactions with one’s parents and one’s romantic partner, the frequency of dating abuse perpetration, and dispositional forgivingness of others and oneself among a sample of emerging adults in college (n = 421). Dispositional forgivingness of others was negatively associated with the perpetration of emotional/verbal dating abuse and threatening behaviors, and it mediated relations between negative interpersonal interactions and dating abuse perpetration. Our findings suggest that the tendency to forgive others may explain why some individuals who experience negative interpersonal interactions with parents or romantic partners do not escalate to perpetration of abuse within their romantic relationships. Implications for future research and application are discussed.
KW - dating violence
KW - domestic violence
KW - forgivingness
KW - perceptions of domestic violence
KW - spirituality and violence
UR - https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/clpsych_facpub/33
UR - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0886260517714438?url_ver=Z39.88-2003rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.orgrfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
U2 - 10.1177/0886260517714438
DO - 10.1177/0886260517714438
M3 - Article
VL - 33
JO - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
JF - Journal of Interpersonal Violence
ER -