Understanding the Mutual Partner Dynamic of Intimate Partner Violence: A Review

Introduction: Bidirectional violence is not a recent phenomenon. Nonetheless, little attention has been given to the actual dyads of intimate violence. The aim of the present review is therefore to identify and examine research that involves both the male and female partner of couples experiencing problems with intimate partner violence (IPV). Method: A thorough literature search was conducted in the electronic databases PubMed and PsycINFO. This review includes only peer-reviewed articles conducting quantitative data analysis. The key inclusion criteria were the concept of bidirectional violence. Therefore, this review only includes studies where both partners participated in the study. A total of 70 studies were included. Results: A wide variety of psychological, social, and interaction variables were identified. Especially challenges related to alcohol, attachment, communication, jealousy, mental health and relationship satisfaction were identified. Results sheds light on how conflicts escalate and are important aspects of how IPV patterns are developed. Discussion: The present review demonstrates the importance of incorporating partner dynamics into our understanding of IPV. By putting less emphasis on the prevalence rates and instead focus more on the dynamics of the relationships, IPV appears to be a symptom of a variety of problems within the dyad. Therefore, it would be beneficial to target preventive efforts and interventions towards both members of the couple to directly address the unhealthy dynamics that are contributing to a pattern of IPV.