Predicting commitment to and maintenance of abusive dating relationships: A test of proposed decision-making processes

The purpose of the present study was to test an integrated conceptual model of the decision-making processes associated with commitment to and maintenance of abusive dating relationships. This decision-making model was based on an integration of relevant social psychological variables associated with relationship commitment and maintenance. These variables included exchange/investment and attribution theories, as well as the constructs of cognitive dissonance, entrapment, and subjective norm. Gender-related differences were explored. Introductory psychology students (N = 120; 47 men, 73 women) at a large state university participated for class credit. Only those participants who endorsed at least one incident of physical violence or sexual coercion in their dating relationships at Time 1 were included in the sample. Participants returned 6–8 weeks later to complete Time 2 measures. Overall, the present findings provided preliminary broad support for some aspects of the proposed decision-making model. Decisions associated with the acceptability of abusive dating behaviors, exchange/investment model variables, and subjective norm generally were supported by the present findings. Findings associated with attributions yielded the least support. An attempt was made in the current study to test the constructs of cognitive dissonance and entrapment, and some preliminary evidence was found for these processes. The current findings illuminate the need for gender-sensitive approaches when examining these decision-making processes. The findings also highlight the need to examine the constructs of subjective commitment and relationship maintenance separately. Limitations of the present study, practical applications, and directions for future research are discussed.