Relationships among Anger, Revenge, and Impulsivity in College-Aged Romantic Relationships

Romantic relationships are one of the most important college student human interactions. During the emerging adult years, reports indicate that up to 75 percent of students report at least one romantic relationship. While many young adults feel satisfied in their romantic relationships, many others feel dissatisfied, often seeking student counseling services for relationship problems. A common reason for their dissatisfaction is interpersonal conflict. When handled poorly it can lead to physical aggression and violence against romantic partners. This is especially common during the college student years, with frequencies showing that as many as 61% have been physically aggressed upon by their romantic partner. It is believed that intimate partner aggression is often precipitated by the romantic partner feeling angry. However, there is not much evidence to support this claim. In this survey study of 117 enrolled college students, higher trait anger was related to increased thoughts about revenge, increased frequency of vengeful behaviors, and increased verbal impulsivity towards their romantic partner. Similar to previous findings, women were more likely to be physically and verbally aggressive than men. This study provides evidence for the claim that anger precipitates intimate partner aggression.