STRESS AND ASSAULT IN A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF AMERICAN FAMILIES

• NCJ Number: 60106
• Author(s): M A STRAUSS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 22 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH27557; T32MH15161
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Corporate Author: University of New Hampshire
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THIS PAPER IS ONE OF A SERIES OF PUBLICATIONS OF THE FAMILY VIOLENCE RESEARCH PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE COLLOQUIUM ON STRESS AND CRIME, NILJC - MITRE CORPORATION, WASHINGTON, DC, DECEMBER 4-5, 1978

Annotation

A REPORT ON STRESS IN FAMILIES STATES THAT THE FAMILY TENDS TO BE A GROUP WITH AN INHERENTLY HIGH LEVEL OF CONFLICT AND STRESS.

Abstract

THE PAPER WAS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH STRESSFUL LIFE EXPERIENCES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ASSAULT BETWEEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES, AND TO EXPLORE THE REASONS FOR SUCH AN ASSOCIATION. DATA USED WERE A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF 2,143 AMERICAN COUPLES. STRESS WAS MEASURED BY AN INSTRUMENT PATTERNED AFTER THE HOLMES AND RAHE SCALE. IT CONSISTED OF A LIST OF 18 STRESSFUL EVENTS WHICH COULD HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE YEAR COVERED BY THE SURVEY. ASSAULT WAS MEASURED BY THE SEVERE VIOLENCE INDEX OF THE FAMILY CONFLICT TACTICS SCALES. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT RESPONDENTS WHO EXPERIENCED NONE OF THE 18 STRESSES IN THE INDEX HAD THE LOWEST RATE OF ASSAULT. THIS APPLIED TO ASSAULTS BY WIVES AS WELL AS BY HUSBANDS. AS THE NUMBER OF STRESSORS EXPERIENCED DURING THE YEAR INCREASED, SO DID THE ASSAULT RATE. THE SECOND PART OF THE ANALYSIS WAS BASED ON THE THEORY THAT STRESS BY ITSELF DOES NOT NECESSARILY LEAD TO VIOLENCE AND OTHER FACTORS MUST BE PRESENT. RESULTS WERE GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH THIS THEORY. THEY SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS: PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT BY FATHERS TRAIN MEN TO RESPOND TO STRESS BY VIOLENCE; ASSAULTIVE MEN BELIEVE PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT OF SPOUSES AND CHILDREN IS APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR; MEN UNDER STRESS ARE MORE ASSAULTIVE IF THE MARRIAGE IS NOT IMPORTANT TO THEM; EDUCATION DOES NOT AFFECT THE STRESS/VIOLENCE LINK; DOMINANT HUSBANDS HAVE HIGHER ASSAULT RATES; AND THOSE WHO ARE SOCIALLY ISOLATED HAVE HIGHER ASSAULT RATES. LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE GIVEN HIGHEST PRIORITY IN RESEARCH ON THE LINK BETWEEN STRESS AND VIOLENCE. TABLES, FIGURES, FOOTNOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MJW)