Browsing by Author "Potthoff, Andrea L."
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Item Effects of Angry Rumination and Distraction in Partner Violent Men(2016-05) Potthoff, Andrea L.; Babcock, Julia C.; Vincent, John P.; Knee, C. Raymond; Leung, PatrickAlthough the tendency to ruminate is related to the frequency of intimate partner violent (IPV) perpetration (Sotelo & Babcock, 2013), it is unclear how intimate partner violent men react emotionally and physiologically during angry rumination. The current study is the first to experimentally manipulate rumination and distraction in a violent sample. Using the rumination and distraction paradigm developed by Nolen-Hoeksema and Morrow (1993), IPV and nonviolent (NV) men underwent an anger induction and were randomly assigned to either ruminate or distract. Both groups were expected to show an increase in physiological arousal and self-reported anger during rumination and a decrease in physiological arousal and self-reported anger during distraction. Self-reported anger was predicted to mediate the change in physiological arousal. IPV men were hypothesized to experience increased effects of rumination compared to NV men. The present study also explored IPV men’s tendency to ruminate (trait rumination). As predicted, the results demonstrate an increase in heart rate from baseline to post-rumination. No change in physiological arousal was observed in the distraction condition over time. Surprisingly, both conditions resulted in an increase in self-reported anger. Self-reported anger could not be tested as a mediator of physiological arousal because the basic requirements of mediation were not established. No difference self-reported anger was found between IPV and NV men. Trait rumination was found to be positively correlated with IPV frequency, depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms. From a theoretical and clinical perspective, the effects of angry rumination in IPV men, and a violent sample in general, must be examined in order to understand the sequence of events that lead to an act of IPV and develop effective interventions for perpetrators.Item Factors Mediating and Moderating the Relation Between Abuse and Commitment(2013-05) Potthoff, Andrea L.; Babcock, Julia C.; Knee, C. Raymond; Acitelli, Linda K.The present study seeks to extend the current body of literature regarding the effect of intimate partner violence (IPV) on a victim’s commitment to a relationship. Drawing upon the Investment Model (Rusbult, 1980) and implicit relationship beliefs (Knee, 1998), the current study tested mediators and moderators between the frequency of physical and psychological abuse and victims’ level of commitment in a community sample of battered women. Relationship satisfaction was hypothesized to mediate the relation between abuse and commitment. Implicit relationship beliefs, specifically destiny and growth beliefs, were hypothesized to moderate the relation between abuse and commitment. Correlations showed that commitment was negatively correlated with physical and psychological abuse. Relationship satisfaction was positively correlated with commitment and negatively correlated with physical and psychological abuse. Destiny and growth beliefs were not significantly correlated with each other or any of the other variables. Regression analyses showed that relationship satisfaction fully mediated the relation between abuse and commitment for both physical and psychological abuse. Multiple regression analyses revealed no significant moderating effect of destiny or growth belief. From a clinical perspective, these results suggest that perhaps making victims aware of the effect abuse has on their relationship satisfaction may be a beneficial first step in increasing their awareness of the pathological nature of abusive relationships.