| Abstract: | Abusive couples, discordant couples, and satisfactorily married couples were compared on self-report measures of general assertion, spouse-specific assertion, spouse-specific aggression, and spousal physical aggression in their families of origin. Men and women in abusive relationships as well as those in discordant, but non-abusive, relationships have lower levels of spouse-specific assertion than satisfactorily married couples. However, men and women in abusive relationships did not differ from discordant, non-abusive men and women, on these measures. In brief, low levels of spouse-specific assertion are characteristic of discordant couples whether they are abusive or not. However, as in our past research, spousal violence in the family of origin was a critical distinguishing factor of physically abusive men versus discordant, but non-abusive, men. Also, as in ourpast research, violence in the family of origin was not a critical distinguishing characteristic of women in abusive relationships. |
