Couple Violence: Individual and Relational Perspectives

The increase of domestic violence, particularly within couples, requires a careful consideration on the part of both researchers and clinicians: they need to be connected in order to generate a clearer under- standing of the phenomenon and plan specific and effective intervention strategies. The literature has been dealing with such a topic since the past 30 years and different theoretical currents have given relevance to ei- ther individual traits and personality characteristics of each partner (psychopathological aspects, factors re- lated to the transmission, either conscious or unconscious, of values from the family of origin, disadvantaged economic and socio-cultural conditions, risk behaviors such as substances abuse and gender differences) or interactive aspects that may develop in the couple relationship. Our research team attempts to adopt a rela- tional approach to research, thus taking into account not only the personality, emotional and historical charac- teristics of each partner, but also the characteristics of the violent relationship as a whole. The present paper, places the elements that may facilitate the onset of a violent relationship in the couple’s history and in the dis- tinctive characteristics of the bond and conceives the above mentioned elements as distinctive facets of the couple bond and the unique connection that ties the partners. The relational indicators that have been found originate from the systematic analysis of 10 clinical interventions (trial consulting, consulting, couple therapy) with couples that have experiences episodes of physical violence in their relationship. On the basis of the data collected throughout individual instruments used in the assessment phase as well as conjoint instruments such as the clinical generational interview, researchers identify characteristics of violent couple relation.