Aggression in Dating Relationships Compared by Country of Origin.

The purpose of this study was to analyze prevalence levels of aggression in dating relationships and to compare this by country of origin. The study also seeks more understanding of the violence experienced by men in these countries.  A convenience sample was used; study participants were 194 females and 168 males ranging in age from 18 to 72. The measure analyzed was the Conflict Tactics Scale-Partner. Results of this scale were compared by country of origin. These included the U.S. and those in East Asia and Eastern Europe. Prevalence levels of aggression were also compared by gender.  Participants born in Eastern Europe reported more violence than those in the U.S. and East Asia. Males born in the U.S. reported being the recipients of physical violence significantly more than women in the U.S. Also, females born in East Asia reported significantly more perpetrating of violence than males. In Eastern European countries of origin, females reported significantly more usage of negotiation in romantic relationships than males.  Although some significant differences were found within countries, the differences are not enough to assert that any of the countries of origin experience more overall dating violence than the others.  Aggression in dating relationships (domestic violence) is a serious problem in any country, however it is not always clear what cultural phenomena underlie this behavior. Individuals who reside in the United States but were born in another country might have difficulty adjusting to different cultural and societal norms. As stated by Hussey, Chang and Kotch (2006), "migration and the process of adaptation to American society place unique strains on immigrant parents and their children." Perhaps if we better understand the norms of the countries where these individuals come from, we can develop more successful methods of dealing with domestic violence here in the U.S. For example, the traditional family structure in China is such that the husband makes all decisions and wives are inferior (Xu, Zhu, O'Campo, Koenig, Mock, & Campbell, 2005). Chinese households are hierarchical and it is generally expected that women remain obedient. This may explain the relatively large prevalence rate of lifetime intimate partner violence experienced by women in China, which is about 43% (Xu et al., 2005). Cultural norms are similar in Vietnam, where families are also patriarchal (Nguyen, Krantz, & Ostergren, 2008). In a study conducted by Nguyen et al. (2008) it was found that approximately 31% of women had experienced some sort of physical violence in their lifetime. Another 55.4% had experienced psychological abuse in their lifetime (Nguyen et al., 2008). In India, the prevalence of any form of violence experienced by women in their lifetime is 56% (Babu & Kar, 2009). Babu and Kar (2009) explain that inadequate and failure of timely payment of dowry is a significant reason for domestic violence in India. Another reason may be poor performance of duties expected of women (Babu & Kar, 2009). Like China and Vietnam, India's social system is patriarchal and women are socialized to be subordinate and believe that men have a tight to control them (Babu & Kar, 2009). This leads individuals to condone the violence experienced by women and perpetuates it by expecting women to be helpless. In both Vietnam and India it was found that domestic violence experienced by women was persistent across all social strata (Nguyen et al., 2008; Babu & Kar, 2009). Turkey also displays a patriarchal social system where men make all of the family-related decisions and have more of an influence over their wives' personal lives (Hortacsu, Kalaycioglu, & Rittersberger-Tilic, 2003). Women in Turkey are perceived as lower than men, having very little power and requiring supervision (Hortacsu et al., 2003). Justifications for this include gender stereotypes and religious beliefs which assume women to be passive victims (Hortacsu et al. …

Field of study: Education