Bullying é o comportamento agressivo, ofensivo, repetitivo e frequente, perpetrado por uma pessoa ou grupo contra outra ou outros, com a intenção de ferir e humilhar, em uma relação desigual de poder. O bullying está associado a uma série de transtornos mentais, com repercussões importantes na vida adulta tanto das vítimas como dos agressores. O envolvimento com a prática de bullying na escola por crianças e adolescentes demonstra uma falha no processo de socialização, do desenvolvimento de empatia e de autocontrole, que uma disciplina parental apropriada deveria prover. Assim, torna-se importante compreender como as práticas utilizadas pelos pais para disciplinar estão associadas à prática de bullying na escola, de forma que intervenções mais abrangentes, além do âmbito escolar, possam ser implementadas. O presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar como práticas usualmente utilizadas pelos pais para disciplinar e controlar o comportamento de seus filhos estão associadas à prática de bullying por seus filhos, comparados com o grupo de adolescentes que não praticam bullying. Tanto práticas punitivas e assertivas, quanto práticas indutivas, positivas, foram investigadas. Especificamente, buscou-se verificar a associação entre o uso parental de punições corporais e agressão psicológica e a prática de bullying por seus filhos no ambiente escolar. Os participantes do estudo foram randomicamente selecionados a partir de uma amostra comunitária de 2.457 adolescentes que participaram do Projeto Transtornos de Ansiedade da Infância e Adolescência (PROTAIA), realizado em seis escolas públicas pertencentes à área de abrangência da Unidade Básica de Saúde Santa Cecília, do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, realizado entre 2008 e 2009. Como critérios de inclusão do estudo atual, os adolescentes deveriam ter entre 10 e 15 anos, estarem ainda estudando nas escolas onde foram anteriormente avaliados e estarem presentes na escola no dia da coleta de dados. Uma versão brasileira para o Questionário de Bullying de Olweus foi utilizada para medir a frequência de bullying entre os alunos. O Dimensions of Discipline Inventory (DDI) – Child Report foi utilizado para avaliar a frequência de utilização de práticas parentais de disciplina punitivas e indutivas. Os instrumentos foram respondidos pelos adolescentes após a autorização dos pais. A associação entre prática de bullying e práticas parentais de disciplina foi verificada através de regressão logística. Dos 247 adolescentes avaliados, 98 (39,7%) praticavam bullying na escola uma ou mais vezes por semana, 107(43,3%) informaram terem sido fisicamente punidos no último ano e, destes, 38 (35,5%) referiram receber punições uma ou mais vezes por semana. A maior frequência de utilização de práticas punitivas, tanto pela mãe, quanto pelo pai, mostrou-se significativamente associada à prática de bullying por seus filhos. As mães que mais frequentemente utilizavam punição como disciplina apresentaram quatro vezes maior chance de ter um filho que pratica bullying na escola (OR= 4,36; IC95%= 1,87-10,16; p<0,001). Entre as diversas práticas de disciplina assertiva e punitiva, a agressão psicológica e as punições corporais foram as que apresentaram maior odds ratio; porém, a disciplina indutiva não apresentou associação. Os adolescentes que identificaram a figura paterna como não sendo o pai biológico apresentaram o dobro de chance de praticar bullying (OR=2,21; IC95%=1,25-3,91; p=0,009). O estudo demonstrou que práticas punitivas, usualmente utilizadas pelos pais com o objetivo de disciplinar e controlar o comportamento dos filhos, estão associadas à prática de bullying. Pesquisas que visem identificar por quais processos os diferentes membros da família influenciam o comportamento de bullying são necessárias. / Bullying is conceptualized as repeated behaviors performed by individuals with the intention of imposing psychological and physical harms to, or social isolation for, less powerful peers, through physical, verbal, and relational aggression for an extended period of time. It is associated with mental health problems and it has major consequences through the lifetime. Bullying perpetration at school reveals an impairment in both socialization process and development of empathy and self-control skills; characteristics that a good range of parental discipline should provide. Understanding how parental discipline practices are associated with bullying perpetration may furnish grounds for broader interventions involving families. The present study aimed to investigate the association between common parental discipline practices, either power assertive/punitive or inductive, and adolescent bullying perpetration, compared to students who were not classified as being bullies. Specifically, we looked for associations of corporal punishment and psychological aggression by parents with bullying at school. A random list of adolescents was created out of the database of 2,457 participants from the community screening phase of the PROTAIA Project (Childhood and Adolescence Anxiety disorders Project) , involving six schools of the catchment area of the Primary Care Unit of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. The study was carried out between 2008 and 2009. In order to be eligible, participants should still be attending the same school where they were previously assessed, should be present at school on the day of the current data collection, and at an age between 10 to 15 years old. A Brazilian modified version of the Olweus Bully Victim Questionnaire was used to measure the frequency of bullying behavior. The Dimensions of Discipline Inventory (DDI) – Child Report was used to assess the frequency of the parental discipline practices, either power assertive/punitive or inductive. Students completed the questionnaires after parental authorization through a dissent form approach. Associations between the independent variables and the outcome were tested using binary logistic regression. The final sample consisted of 247 students, from which 98 (39.7%) had bullied others at school at least once a week in the current year, and were classified as bullies. Nearly half (n=107; 43.3%) reported having been physically punished in the current year, whereas 38 (35.5%) reported parental corporal punishment at least once a week. The usage of power assertive/punitive discipline, either by the mother or by the father, was significantly associated with their children’s bullying behavior at school. Mothers who mostly used power assertion and punishment as discipline were 4.36 (CI95%: 1.87-10.16; p<.001) times more likely of having a child who bullied others at school. Inductive discipline was not overall associated with bullying (p>.05). Examining each specific parental method within the power assertive/punitive discipline scale, mild forms of corporal punishment, such as spanking, and psychological aggression, either by the mother or the father, had the highest odds ratios. Being disciplined by a father figure who was not the biological father had more than twice the odds (OR=2.21; IC95%=1.25-3.91; p=.009) of the adolescent being a bully. Our study showed that bullying perpetration is strongly associated with common punitive practices used by parents to control their children’s behavior. More research is needed to identify the precise mechanisms by which family member may influence children's bullying behavior.

Psychological aggression is present in as many as 89-97% of college women’s intimate relationships (Cercone, Beach, & Arias, 2005; Riggs & O’Leary, 1996). Victimization has been linked to negative physical and mental health consequences including depression, anxiety, and chronic pain (Coker, Smith, Bethea, King, & McKeown, 2000; Derrick, Testa, & Leonard, 2014; Pico-Alfonso et al., 2006). Psychological aggression also serves as a risk factor for future or continued physical intimate partner violence (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014), which can result in bruises, broken bones, or in extreme cases, even death. Parental modeling of appropriate relationship behaviors may be an important factor in young adult women’s learning how to behave in their own intimate relationships. Studies have produced mixed results when assessing the role of engendered cultural influences on this phenomenon, with many reporting that women holding traditional gender role beliefs are at an increased risk for experiencing relationship aggression (Brownridge, 2002; CDC, 2014; Eaton & Matamala, 2014; Fitzpatrick, Salgado, Suvak, King, & King, 2004). The current dissertation seeks to investigate the roles of traditional, culturally informed gender role beliefs in the intergenerational modeling of psychological aggression in Hispanic college women’s intimate relationships. A total of 687 students from a large Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in the southeastern United States participated in this study. The results of Study 1 showed that parental use of psychological aggression and participants’ beliefs consistent with caballerismo influenced Hispanic college women’s victimization in their intimate relationships. The results of Study 2 indicated that parental use of psychological aggression, participants’ beliefs consistent with marianismo, and participants’ beliefs sanctioning their own use of psychological aggression toward their boyfriends significantly influenced Hispanic college women’s perpetration of this type of aggression in their intimate relationships. The findings from this dissertation are important as few studies have examined intimate partner violence or conflict strategies in Hispanic college populations, despite the fact that they constitute the largest group of ethnic minority women on campuses today (Fry, 2011). Further, they contribute to our ability to effectively critique traditional gender beliefs used to examine Hispanic women’s behavioral and psychological outcomes.

<p>The study aimed to understand and advance the dynamics that influence psychological aggression. Psychological aggression can be defined as, verbal and non-verbal communication with the intent to harm another person mentally or emotionally, and/or control another person. In our society, the occurrence of psychological aggression in relationships is far more tolerated then physical aggression, but the effects can be more long term and harmful. The study hypothesized that an individual’s level of differentiation of self--a person’s ability to differentiate between feeling and thinking in times of stress--and their gender have a role in the severity of psychological aggression. The study was approved by IRB and using an online survey through MTurk asked participants about experiencing and perpetrating psychological aggression in their romantic relationships. The study had 192 participates in the multiple regression analyses, who provided some support that the level of differentiation of self and severity of psychological aggression, experiencing and perpetrating, have a negative significant relationship. Gender was found to not impact the relationship between differentiation of self and severity of psychological aggression. Clinical implications, limitations, and future directions for research were addressed. </p>

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo examinar las propiedades psicométricas de la Conflict Tactic Scales. La muestra constó de 301 estudiantes (158 varones y 143 mujeres) entre18-31 años. Como resultado del Análisis Factorial Exploratorio (AFE) se obtuvieron 3 factores en cada escala (Agresor: Daños, Agresión Psicológica y Física y Negociación; Víctima: Agresión Sexual y Daños, Agresión psicológica y Negociación). La variable de violencia contra la mujer, empleada para la validez convergente, presentó correlaciones significativas con ambas escalas: Agresor (rw= .79) y Víctima (rw= .77). Así mismo, los valores del coeficiente Omega confirmaron la confiabilidad de estas (ω =.93 para ambas escalas). En conclusión, la CTS-2 presenta adecuadas propiedades psicométricas en la muestra estudiada, empero, se requieren mayores estudios a fin de confirmar la estructura encontrada. / The present research aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Conflict Tactic Scales. The sample consisted of 301 University students (158 men and 143 women) between 18-31 years old. As a result of the Exploratory Factor Analysis, 3 factors were obtained on each scale (Aggressor: Damages, Psychological and Physical Aggression and Negotiation; Victim: Sexual Assault and Injuries, Psychological Aggression and Negotiation). The convergent variable of violence against women presented significant correlations with both scales: Aggressor (rw = .79) and Victim (rw = .77). Likewise, the Omega coefficient values ​​confirmed their reliability (ω =.93 for both scales). In conclusion, the CTS-2 presents adequate psychometric properties in the sample studied, however, further studies are required in order to confirm the structure found. / Tesis

Thèse de doctorat présenté en vue de l'obtention du doctorat en psychologie - recherche intervention, option psychologie clinique (Ph.D) / Bien que les relations amoureuses puissent enrichir la vie d’un individu et favoriser son bien-être, elles peuvent également être une source de détresse lorsque des difficultés conjugales surviennent. Les comportements positifs et négatifs émis par les partenaires pourraient avoir un rôle important à jouer dans la satisfaction et l’engagement conjugaux et sont donc souvent ciblés dans le cadre de la psychothérapie conjugale. Cependant, peu d’études se sont intéressées simultanément à ces deux types de comportements pour comprendre leur contribution relative au fonctionnement relationnel. De plus, la présence d’insécurités d’attachement (anxiété d’abandon et évitement de l’intimité), fréquentes chez les partenaires qui consultent en thérapie de couple, pourrait teinter la manière dont ces comportements sont perçus. Ainsi, il semble important de réaliser des études s’intéressant à la fois à la perception des comportements positifs et négatifs du/de la partenaire et aux insécurités d’attachement dans l’étude du lien entre ces variables et le fonctionnement relationnel. Bien que plusieurs études se soient intéressées à ces facteurs de manière indépendante, peu d’entre elles les ont considérés conjointement afin d’atteindre une compréhension plus nuancée du lien entre ces variables. De plus, très peu d’études se sont intéressées à ces variables chez les partenaires de couples en situation de détresse conjugale, un contexte pouvant aussi affecter les perceptions d’un individu à l’égard des comportements de son/sa partenaire. Cette recherche doctorale vise à mieux comprendre les liens entre la perception des comportements positifs et négatifs, les insécurités d’attachement et des indicateurs de fonctionnement relationnel chez les couples consultant en thérapie conjugale. La première étude s’est intéressée aux liens entre la perception de deux comportements du/de la partenaire, un positif (soutien conjugal) et un négatif (violence psychologique), et deux indicateurs de fonctionnement relationnel chez les deux partenaires : la satisfaction conjugale et la volonté d’investir dans la relation. Cette étude s’est aussi intéressée au rôle modérateur de l’anxiété d’abandon dans ces associations. La deuxième étude s’est intéressée aux liens entre les insécurités d’attachement et le sous-engagement des deux partenaires en considérant la perception des comportements positifs et négatifs du/de la partenaire en tant que variables intermédiaires. Dans l’ensemble, les résultats obtenus suggèrent que les comportements positifs pourraient être particulièrement importants pour expliquer le fonctionnement relationnel des partenaires en situation de détresse conjugale. Les comportements négatifs seraient également associés à leur fonctionnement relationnel, mais dans une moindre mesure que les comportements positifs. La première étude a aussi permis de démontrer que le lien entre le soutien conjugal perçu de la part du/de la partenaire et le fonctionnement relationnel varie en fonction du niveau d’anxiété d’abandon d’un individu, bien qu’il y ait des différences de genre. La deuxième étude a démontré que la perception des comportements positifs du/de la partenaire pourrait constituer un mécanisme impliqué dans l’association entre les insécurités d’attachement et le sous-engagement des partenaires. Nos résultats suggèrent que l’augmentation des comportements positifs, tout en favorisant leur perception par les partenaires, pourrait constituer un facteur-clé des interventions visant à améliorer le fonctionnement relationnel des partenaires en situation de détresse conjugale. / While romantic relationships can enrich an individual's life and promote their well-being, they can also be a source of distress when relational difficulties arise. Positive and negative partner behaviors could have an important role to play in relationship satisfaction and relationship commitment and as such, they are often targeted in the context of couple therapy. However, few studies have considered these two types of behaviors simultaneously to understand their relative contribution to relationship outcomes. In addition, the presence of attachment insecurities (attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance), which are frequent among partners who seek couple therapy, could change the way that these behaviors are perceived. Thus, it seems important to carry out studies focusing both on the perception of positive and negative partner behaviors and on attachment insecurities in the study of the association between these variables and relationship outcomes. Although several studies have investigated these factors independently, few studies have considered these factors together to achieve a more nuanced understanding of the association between these variables. Moreover, very few studies have looked at these variables in partners of relationally distressed couples, a context also likely to affect an individual's perceptions of their partner's behaviors. This doctoral research aims to better understand the links between the perception of positive and negative partner behaviors, attachment insecurities, and relationship outcomes among couples seeking couple therapy. The first study focused on the links between the perception of two partner behaviors, one that is positive (support) and one that is negative (psychological aggression), and two relationship outcomes in both partners: relationship satisfaction and the willingness to invest in the relationship. This study also investigated the moderating role of attachment anxiety in these associations. The second study investigated the links between attachment insecurities and both partners’ under-commitment by considering the perception of positive and negative partner behaviors as intermediate variables. Overall, the results suggest that positive partner behaviors could be particularly important to explain relationship outcomes in relationally distressed partners. Negative behaviors would also be associated with relationship outcomes, but to a lesser extent than positive behaviors. The first study also showed that the link between perceived partner support and relationship outcomes varies with an individual’s level of attachment anxiety, although there are gender differences. The second study showed that perceived positive partner behaviors may be a mechanism involved in the association between attachment insecurities and both partners’ under-commitment. Our results suggest that increasing positive behaviors, while also promoting their perception by the partners, could be key for interventions aimed at improving relationship outcomes in relationally distressed partners.