Subtle Psychological Violence and Couple Satisfaction among University Students

Psychological aggressions are difficult to detect. For instance, different forms of micro male behaviours normally are so subtle that they go unnoticed. According to Intimate Partner Violence perspective, partner violence is bidirectional. Moreover, some authors have reported that partner violence is associated with low levels of satisfaction with the relationship. The objective of this study is cognisance of the incidence of subtle psychological abuse among couples of university students through micro male behaviours and to analyse how it is perceived, taking the sex and the role played into account (perpetrator, victim or both) and the differences depending on the strategies of psychological violence used. University students (N = 1156) from 28 universities from all over Spain, throughout an academic course, participated in this cross-sectional non-experimental study. In order to identify subtle psychological violence, the Questionnaire on Micro Male Conducts of Ferrer et al. (2008) was adapted to a self-report on behaviours used towards the partner (perpetration) and received from him/her (victimisation). Behaviours are grouped into five strategies. We have verified that the couples of young university students report high levels of involvement in micro male behaviours and confirm that aggressions are bidirectional. As far as satisfaction with the partner is concerned, the strategies of psychological violence of confinement to a traditional role and generating insecurity go unnoticed among men. An important difference is found, as women definitely are sensitive towards victimisation of insecurity by their partners. There is a common pattern in terms of strategies of invading spaces and underestimating; in both cases, they have an important impact on satisfaction with the partner and reduce the level thereof. These findings suggest that victims do not properly value the information received. In order to reduce psychological violence among couples, it is important that young people identify abusive behaviours and the level of violence they may be facing.