NCJ Number
95558
Journal
Victimology Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: (1984) Pages: 130-141
Date Published
1984
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Childhood exposure to violent models, current level of self-esteem, and several types of locus of control beliefs are examined in this analysis as factors potentially related to men's use of abusive conflict tactics against their female partners in domestic disputes.
Abstract
Mailed questionnaires were used to collect data from 79 male respondents in a random sample of homeowners in a Midwestern city. Findings demonstrate the importance of distinguishing various types of early exposure to violence -- victimization, observation, violence committed against peers, violence committed against an adult -- in understanding the impact of 'models' on subsequent behaviors in domestic conflict situations. The single most important type of childhood exposure was observation of violence, which was associated with greater use of abusive conflict tactics. Lower self-esteem and weaker locus of control beliefs regarding personal efficacy were only slightly related to use of abusive conflict tactics for men in this sample. (Author abstract)