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SYNOPSIS - THE ABUSIVE PERSONALITY Violence and Control in Intimate Relationships By Donald G. Dutton Why do some men criticize, undermine, dominate, and physically harm women with whom they are intimate, and physically harm women with whom they are intimately involved? What explains the cyclical nature of much abusive behavior, in which predictable phases of tension-building and violence are followed by periods of intense contrition? This thoroughly documented work demonstrates that male abusiveness is more than just a learned pattern of behavior - it is the outgrowth of a particular personality configuration. Findings from the author's research with over 400 batterers are integrated with the literature on object relations, attachment, and psychological trauma to trace the development of the abusive personality from early childhood to adulthood. Helping readers better understand the causes of abusiveness and the subjective experience of these men, the book has vital implications for research, prevention, and treatment. Psychiatric sociobiological, and feminist perspectives on domestic abuse are first reviewed. Dutton evaluates the strengths and limitations of these approaches, with particular attention to how well they explain the psychological profile of abusers that emerges from his research. The book points out that abusive men are in general easily threatened, jealous, and fearful, and mask these emotions with anger and demands for control. What is less well known is that these subjects also exhibit borderline personality characteristics and high, chronic levels of trauma symptoms. Cogently linking this symptomatology to elements of childhood experience including physical abuse, rejection and shaming by fathers, and insecure attachment, Dutton delineates the processes by which young boys are primed for violence on every level, from the physiological to the psychological. A concluding chapter offers a clinically oriented overview of a 16-week group treatment program for abusive men and considers the efficacy of various interventive approaches. Illuminating the pathways from early development to adult abusiveness, this book is important reading for psychologists, psychiatrists, family therapists, social workers, legal professionals, and students and researchers in these areas. It serves as a text in advanced undergraduate and graduate-level courses on family violence. About the Author - Donald G. Dutton, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia. His publications include two previous books on domestic abuse. In addition, he has served as an expert witness in several prominent legal cases involving domestic abuse and spousal homicide, including the O.J. Simpson case. ISBN 1-57230-370-0 WORKING TOGETHER TO ATTAIN FAIRNESS | |
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