Predisposing Childhood Factors for Men Who Kill Their Intimate Partners

Various studies have shown high rates of child abuse and childhood exposure to domestic violence among men who abuse their female partners. This study sought to explore these as possible predisposing factors for 31 men who killed their intimate partners as well as 20 men who attempted to kill their partners. Data about perpetrators' upbringings was collected as part of a larger study about intimate partner homicides that included in-depth interviews with killers as well as victims of attempted homicide. We found high rates of child abuse and spouse abuse for both sets of perpetrators; predominantly their fathers were the abusing parent. The findings support social learning theory, which holds that violence is learned through modeling from parents, but also psychodynamic theories that view violence as a defensive adaptation to childhood trauma and other adverse conditions.