The negative perception of stress is significantly associated with marital aggression, as is violence in one's family of origin. However, most individuals experiencing stress do not engage in family violence. In this study, 275 couples completed questionnaires measuring multiple (work and life) stress, and marital aggression 6 and 18 months following their wedding; information on violence in the family of origin was collected 1 month prior to their weddingv. For women, moderated multiple regressions showed that stress predicted marital aggression 1 year later after controlling for age, education, and initial marital aggression. No effects emerged for violence in the family of origin for men or women. Conceptual implications are advanced for further studying the role of violence in the family and the relationship between multiple stressors and physical aggression. 4 tables, 3 footnotes, and 44 references. (Author abstract modified)