Recruiting Nonviolent Men as Control Subjects for Research on Marital Violence: How Easily Can It Be Done?

• NCJ Number: 138244
• Journal: Violence and Victims Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1992) Pages: 79-88
• Author(s): A Holtzworth-Monroe; J Waltz; N S Jacobson; V Monaco; P A Fehrenbach; J M Gottman
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Data from five studies form the basis of this analysis of the prevalence of violence among males who were recruited for nonviolent control groups in five studies.

Abstract

The studies examined people recruited using a variety of methods, including couples seeking marital therapy and couples recruited from newspaper advertisements. Each study involved from 20 to 211 men from Indiana and Washington. Results revealed that across the studies, up to one-third of maritally nondistressed couples and one-half of maritally distressed couples reported that the husband had committed violence in their relationship. Although the majority of violent behaviors reported were not severe, the husbands generally had engaged in several different violent behaviors and/or in one violent behavior more than once. In addition, some husbands had engaged in severe behaviors such as choking or using a knife or gun. The results raise methodological problems for researchers on domestic assault who are seeking to recruit nonviolent control subjects for their studies. Therefore, researchers must recognize and address these issues. Tables, notes, and 21 references (Author abstract modified)