Psychological effects of partner abuse against men: A neglected research area.
Abstract
This article discusses the research on abuse against men in intimate relationships with a primary focus on the effects of this abuse. We begin by discussing the incidence of physical aggression against men, then address methodological and conceptual issues associated with the incidence data. We next review studies assessing the effects of aggression against men and discuss ways in which this research can be furthered and improved. Finally, we discuss why men would choose to stay in these relationships and consider the scant research on emotional abuse against men. In the early 1970s, the abuse of wives by their husbands finally gained the recognition and attention it deserved in the academic community and the public. This recognition was long overdue, as wives tend to be victimized by their husbands at an alarming rate. For example, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 1994, 900,000 women were the victims of assault by an intimate partner (Craven, 1997). Nationally representative surveys show an even bleaker picture: In their 1975 survey of American families, Straus and Gelles (1986) found that, among wives reporting violence from their husbands in the previous year. 12.1% said that they had been the victim of some sort of violence and 38% reported that they had been the victim of severe violence. This rate of severe violence toward wives equaled 2.1 million wives nationwide. In their 1985 resurvey, Straus and Gelles found an apparent decline in the incidence of wife beating. Specifically, there was a 27% decrease in the rate of severe violence by husbands, which translated into 432,000 fewer cases of severe violence against wives. Although the severe assault of 1.6 million wives is still not acceptable, Straus and Gelles argued that this apparent decline may have been the result of the increased attention that wife beating had received and the consequences that had been instituted for men who assault their intimate partners. The effects of abuse against women are significant. For instance, many women who are the victims of either minor or severe assaults by their intimate partners are physically injured. Specifically, in Straus’s 1985 nationally representative survey, 7.3% of the women who reported being severely assaulted by their spouses needed to seek medical attention (Stets & Straus, 1990). Similarly. Makepeace (1986) found in a study of dating couples that 7.7% of women sustained a moderate or severe physical injury as a result of the violence they experienced. Cascardi, Langhinrichsen, and Vivian (1992) found even graver statistics: 15% of the women who reported experiencing minor spousal abuse and 11% of the women who reported experiencing severe spousal abuse reported suffering broken bones, broken teeth, or injury to a sensory organ.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The present study included male victims, which have otherwise been neglected in past IPV research.
“Finally, the present study included male victims, which otherwise have been neglected in past IPV research [94].”
From The psychological subtype of intimate partner violence and its effect on mental health: a systematic review with meta-analyses (2022) · cites this paper as [94]
Cites
Physical Violence in American Families: Risk Factors and Adaptations to Violence in 8,145 Families.
Goetting, A., Straus, M. A., & Gelles, R. J. (1990) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2073234 · Cited by 1,673 · see citing works
Societal change and change in family violence from 1975 to 1985 as revealed by two national surveys
Straus, M. A., & Gelles, R. J. (1986) · Journal of Marriage and the Family · doi:10.2307/352033 · Cited by 1,592 · see citing works
Feminist Perspectives on Wife Abuse
Yllö, K., Bograd, M., & McHugh, M. C. (1989) · Violence and Victims · doi:10.1891/0886-6708.4.1.63 · Cited by 1,258 · see citing works
Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (2000) · Violence Against Women · doi:10.1177/10778010022181769 · Cited by 1,145 · see citing works
Hamilton, J. (1987) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(87)91977-5 · Cited by 1,045 · see citing works
Leslie, L. A., & Walker, L. E. (1986) · Family Relations · doi:10.2307/584377 · Cited by 880 · see citing works
Current Controversies on Family Violence
Loseke, D. R., Gelles, R. J., & Cavanaugh, M. M. (2005) · Sage eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781483328584 · Cited by 841 · see citing works
Walker, L. E. (2017) · The SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.4135/9781483365817.n160 · Cited by 720 · see citing works
The Development of a Measure of Psychological Maltreatment of Women by Their Male Partners
Tolman, R. M. (1989) · Violence and Victims · doi:10.1891/0886-6708.4.3.159 · Cited by 689 · see citing works
The role of emotional abuse in physically abusive relationships
Follingstad, D. R., Rutledge, L. L., Berg, B. J., Hause, E. S., & Polek, D. S. (1990) · Journal of Family Violence · doi:10.1007/bf00978514 · Cited by 625 · see citing works
Prevalence and stability of physical aggression between spouses: A longitudinal analysis.
O’Leary, K. D., Barling, J. I., Arias, I., Rosenbaum, A., Malone, J., & Tyrée, A. (1989) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-006x.57.2.263 · Cited by 580 · see citing works
Courtship Violence among College Students
Makepeace, J. M. (1981) · Family Relations · doi:10.2307/584242 · Cited by 558 · see citing works
Victims of violence and psychiatric illness
Carmen, E. H., Rieker, P. P., & Mills, T. (1984) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.141.3.378 · Cited by 555 · see citing works
Psychological aggression predicts physical aggression in early marriage.
Murphy, C. M., & O'Leary, K. D. (1989) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.57.5.579 · Cited by 474 · see citing works
Straus, M. A., & Gelles, R. J. (2017) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315126401-8 · Cited by 448 · see citing works
The Violent Home: A Study of Physical Aggression between Husbands and Wives.
Russell, D. E. H., & Gelles, R. J. (1977) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2065358 · Cited by 370 · see citing works
Romance and violence in dating relationships
HENTON, J., CATE, R., KOVAL, J., LLOYD, S., & CHRISTOPHER, S. (1983) · Journal of Family Issues · doi:10.1177/019251383004003004 · Cited by 355 · see citing works
Beyond the Conflict Tactics Scale: Assessing Gender Differences in Partner Violence
Morse, B. J. (1995) · Violence and Victims · doi:10.1891/0886-6708.10.4.251 · Cited by 345 · see citing works
Marital aggression. Impact, injury, and health correlates for husbands and wives
Cascardi, M. A. (1992) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.152.6.1178 · Cited by 341 · see citing works
How Women Experience Battering: The Process of Victimization
Ferraro, K. J., & Johnson, J. (1983) · Social Problems · doi:10.2307/800357 · Cited by 338 · see citing works
Gender Differences in Courtship Violence Victimization
Makepeace, J. M. (1986) · Family Relations · doi:10.2307/584365 · Cited by 325 · see citing works
Sex Differences in Motivations and Effects in Dating Violence
Follingstad, D. R., Wright, S., Lloyd, S. A., & Sebastian, J. A. (1991) · Family Relations · doi:10.2307/585658 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
When Battered Women Use Violence: Husband-Abuse or Self-Defense?
Saunders, D. G. (1986) · Violence and Victims · doi:10.1891/0886-6708.1.1.47 · Cited by 309 · see citing works
The battered husband syndrome.
Steinmetz, S. K. (1978) · Cited by 294 · see citing works
Family Abuse and its Consequences: New Directions in Research
Straus, M. A., & Finkelhor, D. (1988) · Cited by 283 · see citing works
Cate, R. M., Henton, J. M., Koval, J. E., Christopher, F. S., & Lloyd, S. A. (1982) · Journal of Family Issues · doi:10.1177/019251382003001006 · Cited by 249 · see citing works
Wife-Beating: How Common and Why?
Straus, M. A. (1977) · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Psychology and domestic violence around the world.
Walker, L. E. (1999) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.54.1.21 · Cited by 230 · see citing works
Frequency and Severity of Psychological Abuse in a Dating Population
Kasian, M., & Painter, S. (1992) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/088626092007003005 · Cited by 212 · see citing works
Fatal violence among spouses in the United States, 1976-85.
Mercy, J. A., & Saltzman, L. E. (1989) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.79.5.595 · Cited by 207 · see citing works
GENDER, INTIMACY, AND LETHAL VIOLENCE:
Browne, A., & Williams, K. R. (1993) · Gender & Society · doi:10.1177/089124393007001005 · Cited by 196 · see citing works
Power and affiliation motivation, stress, and abuse in intimate relationships.
Mason, A. K., & Blankenship, V. (1987) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.52.1.203 · Cited by 186 · see citing works
The Control Motive in Intimate Partner Violence
Felson, R. B., & Messner, S. F. (2000) · Social Psychology Quarterly · doi:10.2307/2695883 · Cited by 148 · see citing works
The Social Causes of Husband-Wife Violence.
Freudiger, P. T., Straus, M. A., & Hotaling, G. T. (1982) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2067138 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Battered Women: A Psychosociological Study of Domestic Violence.
Boudouris, J., & Roy, M. (1979) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2066157 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Wife Beating: The Silent Crisis
Langley, R., & Levy, R. (1977) · Cited by 110 · see citing works
The Severity of Violence Against Men Scales
Marshall, L. L. (1992) · Journal of Family Violence · doi:10.1007/bf00979027 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Family of Origin Violence and Courtship Abuse
Marshall, L. L., & Rose, P. (1988) · Journal of Counseling & Development · doi:10.1002/j.1556-6676.1988.tb00902.x · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Gender differences of psychological abuse in high school dating relationships
Molidor, C. E. (1995) · Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal · doi:10.1007/bf01876208 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Getting even? Women who kill in domestic encounters
Mann, C. R. (1988) · Justice Quarterly · doi:10.1080/07418828800089601 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Relationship Violence by Women: Issues and Implications
Flynn, C. P. (1990) · Family Relations · doi:10.2307/585723 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Shupe, A., Stacey, W. A., & Hazelwood, L. R. (1994) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 35 · see citing works
The Dominance Motive in Abusive Partners: Identifying Couples at Risk.
Rouse, L. P. (1990) · Journal of college student development · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Douglas, E. M., & Hines, D. A. (2011) · Journal of Family Violence · doi:10.1007/s10896-011-9382-4 · Cited by 289 · see citing works
Self-citationCharacteristics of Callers to the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men
Hines, D. A., Brown, J., & Dunning, E. (2007) · Journal of Family Violence · doi:10.1007/s10896-006-9052-0 · Cited by 266 · see citing works
Self-citationA Closer Look at Men Who Sustain Intimate Terrorism by Women
Hines, D. A., & Douglas, E. M. (2010) · Partner Abuse · doi:10.1891/1946-6560.1.3.286 · Cited by 169 · see citing works
Self-citationDokkedahl, S. B., Kirubakaran, R., Bech-Hansen, D., Kristensen, T. R., & Elklit, A. (2022) · Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1186/s13643-022-02025-z · Cited by 172 · see citing works
“Finally, the present study included male victims, which otherwise have been neglected in past IPV research [94].”
Walker, A., Lyall, K., Silva, D., Craigie, G., Mayshak, R., Costa, B., Hyder, S., & Bentley, A. (2020) · Psychology of Men & Masculinities · doi:10.1037/men0000222 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
Men as victims of intimate partner violence
Carmo, R., Grams, A., & Magalhães, T. (2011) · Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2011.07.006 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
Men’s Experience of Psychological Abuse: Conceptualization and Measurement Issues
McHugh, M. C., Rakowski, S., & Swiderski, C. (2013) · Sex Roles · doi:10.1007/s11199-013-0274-3 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
The impact of attachment on intimate partner violence perpetrated by women
Bélanger, C., Mathieu, C., Dugal, C., & Courchesne, C. (2015) · The American Journal of Family Therapy · doi:10.1080/01926187.2015.1080130 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
- Authors
- Hines, D. A., & Malley-Morrison, K.
- Affiliations
- Boston University (US)
- ORCID
- Hines, Denise A.
- Venue
- Psychology of Men & Masculinity
- Published
- 2001-07
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 75-85
- ISSN
- 1524-9220 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-151X
- OpenAlex
- W1989868093
- Cited by
- 206
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 2.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology of Men & Masculinity (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
- Social Sciences › Demography › Elder Abuse and Neglect
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Keywords
- intimate partner violence, violence against men, physical aggression, emotional abuse, psychological effects of abuse, gender differences in violence, dating violence
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review