Search

Individuals convicted of committing domestic violence are often court mandated to attend a Batterer Intervention Program (BIP). Evidence of the effectiveness of these programs, however, is inconclusive largely because of the diversity in approaches used by BIPs. In a pre-test/post-test design, the current study assessed outcomes associated with one specific BIP: a counseling-based, non-punitive psychoeducational program designed to treat both male and female domestic violence offenders. A sample of 149 clients completed a comprehensive survey both prior to and upon completion of the BIP. Participation in this BIP fostered attitudes known to be associated with nonviolence, including perceptions of accountability, anger management, indications of safety planning, and reported desire for change. Additionally, self-reported levels of psychological and physical violence decreased from pre- to post-treatment. Theoretical and therapeutic implications for BIPs are discussed.

In this review we argue that relatively recent evolutionary adaptations that are relational or psychological in nature might refocus, dampen, or otherwise shape hormonal processes related to evolutionarily “older” behaviors. We focus on the steroid hormones testosterone and estradiol and discuss a) their associations with “older relational processes” such as mate competition, dominance and nurturance, and b) the ways in which “newer relational processes” such as commitment and attachment relate to these hormones in the context of intimate relationships. We propose that these new relational processes might influence hormones in a manner that enables short-term mating relationships to be transformed into long-term romantic pair-bonds that may be unique to humans.

We investigated linkages between spousal support satisfaction and affective, cortisol, and blood pressure responses to conflict in two samples, 85 newlyweds and 31 older couples, married an average of 42 years. Couples were admitted to a hospital research unit and provided self-reports regarding the support received from their spouses. After a baseline period, couples engaged in a 30-min conflict discussion during which time blood was drawn for cortisol assessment. After the conflict, newlyweds' blood pressure was measured. Among newlywed wives, greater spousal support satisfaction was associated with smaller changes in negative affect and cortisol responses to conflict. Notably, newlywed wives and husbands demonstrated lower blood pressure after conflict when spousal support satisfaction was higher. In contrast, older husbands (but not wives) exhibited greater cortisol responses when spousal support satisfaction was lower. These relationships provide a window on mechanisms linking marriage and health for men and women across the life span.

This paper reports the findings from two studies which examined the tendency of sexually-active college students to provide socially desirable (i.e., positively biased) responses to questions concerning condom use. The first study found that while female attitudes toward condom use and intentions to use a condom were not associated with social desirability, such attitudes and intentions were significantly related to two measures of impression management for males. The second study attempted to identify conditions under which the relationship between condom use responses and impression management might be attenuated. Specifically, we tested whether participants would report more negative attitudes toward using condoms, and weaker behavioral intentions, when questionnaire instructions emphasized (1) participant anonymity, (2) the scientific importance of obtaining accurate responses, or (3) a combination of these two instructional sets. Results suggest that, compared to a no-instruction control group, self-reported male attitude toward and intention regarding condom use become more negative when anonymity is stressed. Female responses were unaffected by any of the instruction sets compared to the control group. The two studies provide converging evidence that college males positively bias their responses to questions regarding condom use, and suggest the need for further research on the attenuation of such misrepresentation.