A longitudinal follow-up study is proposed to predict men's antisocial behavior, with particular emphasis on antisocial behavior against women. The subjects are 423 Canadian men who were assessed between 1979 to 1981, in addition to their wives or girlfriends. The factors measured previously included sexual arousal in response to aggression (assessed by penile tumescence and by self-reports), need for sexual power over women (measured by scales assessing dominance motives and attraction to sexual aggression), attitudes supporting antisocial behavior against women (measured by four attitude scales), antisocial personality characteristics (measured by a psychoticism scale) and support for violence in general (assessed by exposure to family violence, acceptance of general violence and a violence-anxiety scale). Similar, factors were found to be excellent predictors of sexual aggression in cross-sectional data. The outcome behaviors that will be studied in the proposed study include sexual aggression, behaviors indicative of problems in relationships, conflict and non-physical abuse of partner, physical abuse and violence against partner and general antisocial behavior. The factors assessed at the earlier period are hypothesized to predict a wide range of antisocial behavior, including more extreme acts such as rape and less extreme forms such as verbal aggression. lt is further hypothesized that antisocial behaviors, particularly the extreme forms, will be more likely to occur if a) the earlier measures suggest relatively high propensity for such acts, b) there are """"""""exacerbating factors"""""""" in the person's current life (e.g., stressful job) and c) there are no """"""""attenuating"""""""" variables (e.g., social support). We will also control for the tendency to report only socially desirable behavior and general personality pathology. The study will be the first to test, within a longitudinal context, the predictive validity of the model outlined.
| Heavey, C L; Christensen, A; Malamuth, N M (1995) The longitudinal impact of demand and withdrawal during marital conflict. J Consult Clin Psychol 63:797-801 |
| Malamuth, N M; Sockloskie, R J; Koss, M P et al. (1991) Characteristics of aggressors against women: testing a model using a national sample of college students. J Consult Clin Psychol 59:670-81 |
