Infidelity and Anger within Incarcerated Couples: A Brief Report

Abstract

Incarcerated couples face a variety of concerns and barriers in their relationships, with infidelity being a major problem. This study sought to research incarcerated individuals’ intimate relationships and experiences of anger and fidelity for both partners. Using data from the Multi-site Family Study on Incarceration, Parenting, and Partnering we utilized Actor-Partner Interdependence Modeling (APIM) to examine fidelity and anger management for incarcerated men and their non-incarcerated female partners. The findings showed that the actor effect was not statistically significant, but the partner effect was statistically significant for both the incarcerated male partner and non-incarcerated female partner. There was no statistical significance for the control variable of education, which is contrary to previous correlational studies of anger management and education levels. Based on these results, it is recommended that incarcerated individuals receive anger management training to strengthen fidelity.