Victims and families of violent psychiatric patients

Previous studies that have addressed the issue of violence committed by psychiatric patients have primarily been concerned with determining the incidence of violence and defining the characteristics of the offenders. This study addresses the issues of who are the likely victims when psychiatric patients are violent and what are the situational and interpersonal factors that relate to this violence. Medical records of 300 patients admitted to a locked university-based short-term treatment unit were extensively reviewed to assess the presence or absence of preadmission violence. Fifteen percent of the 300 patients assaulted another person within two weeks prior to admission. Fifty-four percent of the violent patients assaulted a family member. There were no differences in demographic characteristics between violent patients who assaulted a family member and violent patients who assaulted someone outside the family, except for with whom the violent patient was living at the time of the assault. Patients who assaulted a family member were significantly more likely to live with family than were patients who assaulted someone outside the family. Sixty-four percent of the patients who assaulted a family member planned to return home to their family after discharge. We identified four types of families within which patients assaulted family members: multiple mental illness families, multiple violent families, delayed help-seeking families, and prompt help-seeking families. The implications of our findings for prevention of future violence are discussed, including the issue of outpatient civil commitment.     

Alcohol and Violence Related Cognitive Risk Factors Associated with the Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence

The primary aim of this study is to determine the association between alcohol, violence related cognitive risk factors, and impulsivity with the perpetration of partner violence among current drinkers. A probability sample (n = 1468) of White, Black, and Hispanic couples 18 years of age or older in the United States household population was interviewed in 1995 with a response rate of 85%. The risk factors of interest included the alcohol and violence related cognitions of approval of marital aggression, alcohol as an excuse for misbehavior, and aggressive expectations following alcohol consumption as well as impulsivity. In all, 15% (216/1468) of the respondents reported perpetration of domestic violence. In addition, 24% (7/29) of those who approved of marital violence, 11% (126/1163) of those who reported alcohol use as an excuse for misbehavior, 10% (128/1257) of those who reported aggressive expectations following alcohol consumption, and 14% (99/716) of those who reported impulsivity also reported perpetration of domestic violence. Bivariate analysis indicated that all of the cognitive risk factors were significantly more common in those who reported perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) (p < 0.05). However, multivariate analysis controlling for ethnicity, education, income, age, gender, and impulsivity indicated that those who reported strong or very strong expectations of aggressive behavior following alcohol consumption were 3.2 (95% CI = 1.3–7.9) times more likely to perpetrate IPV. Although all of the alcohol and violence related cognitive risk factors were associated with the perpetration of domestic violence, expectations of aggressive behavior following alcohol consumption appeared to be the strongest predictor of the perpetration of IPV among current drinkers. Therefore, alcohol expectancy may be an important factor to assess when attempting to identify and treat perpetrators of domestic violence who are also current drinkers.     

Canada’s First Integrated Domestic Violence Court: Examining Family and Criminal Court Outcomes at the Toronto I.D.V.C.

This is the first quantitative study to examine Canada’s only Integrated Domestic Violence Court. The methodology used a quasi-experimental design with parallel groups with baseline equivalence. Results demonstrate that when support services are provided to victims of domestic violence during family separation, children benefit from greater involvement with both parents. There was more compliance with child support in the integrated court than the comparison group and compliance in custody and access were two variables that predicted the type of final custody orders. There were fewer judges involved in the IDVC court than comparison group; however, there were no differences in the number of court appearances between groups. The IDVC demonstrates a promising intervention to address domestic violence that involves both criminal and family law courts. Future research is needed to explore the views of children, victims and offenders about their experiences with the IDVC.     

Intergenerational Transmission of Violence,Threatened Egoism,and Reciprocity: A Test of Multiple Psychosocial Factors Affecting Intimate Partner Violence

A myriad of factors have been advanced to explain intimate violence. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects on intimate violence of three specific concepts: threatened egoism, violence in the family of origin, and reciprocity. Self-report questionnaires were administered to a randomly selected cluster sample of 423 participants, 147 males and 276 females. While no support was found for threatened egoism, both violence witnessed in the family of origin and reciprocity were found to significantly influence intimate violence. Analyses conducted separately for males and females indicated that these factors operate differently based on gender.     

英国防治家庭暴力与保护受害人立法述评

家庭暴力是一个普遍存在于英国社会各阶层的家庭中的社会问题,尽早发现、尽早处理才能将伤害减少至最低。为此,英国自从20世纪70年代开始制定了一系列法律案防治家庭暴力,从家庭成员身份界定到司法保护、从家庭暴力的认定到骚扰防治进行较全面的法律干预。英国法既注重对加害人予以法律制裁,更注重预防,及时帮助受害人和加害人,防止家庭暴力延伸到下一代,防止家庭暴力从家庭内部延伸到家庭之外。英国法防治家庭暴力的理念、路径和对策能够为我国制定防治家庭暴力法提供诸多借鉴与启发。     

Effects of Family Violence on Child Behavior and Health During Early Childhood

Looking at families where children have been abused/neglected in early childhood, this study examined measures of child behavior and health to see if they tended to be worse when domestic violence is or has been present in a family. Further, caregiver and family characteristics as well as other case factors were examined, as possible moderators or mediators of the effects of domestic violence. Results indicate that domestic violence, of the type and severity occurring in our sample, does not have a direct effect on child outcomes by Age 6, when other associated variables are taken into account, but has considerable indirect effects. There is a pronounced impact of domestic violence on family functioning, the caregiver's general health and well being, and the quality of the caregiver's interaction with the child, which in turn are significantly associated with decrements of child functioning related to behavior problems and health. Some implications of this study for research in the area of domestic violence and child maltreatment are discussed.     

Single Types of Family Violence Victimization and Externalizing Behaviors Among Children and Adolescents

Prior research has provided substantial evidence that child maltreatment and exposure to physical intimate partner violence (IPV) are associated with increased externalizing behavior problems among children and adolescents. However, little is known about the effects of exposure to psychological IPV and exposure to the physical abuse of a sibling. Using a total sample (N = 2,572) and subsample (n = 441) of children ages 3–18 years old, the purpose of this study was to assess whether cumulative types of family violence lead to higher mean externalizing behavior scores and to examine the effects of single types of indirect and direct family violence on children’s mean externalizing behavior scores. Results confirmed that children who experienced any type of family violence victimization had higher mean externalizing behavior scores compared to children with no history of family violence; however, few differences in externalizing behavior scores were found as the number of family violence types increased. Children who experienced indirect types of family violence (e.g., exposure to the physical abuse of a sibling) had higher externalizing behavior scores than children who experienced direct maltreatment (e.g., child physical abuse). Findings from this study suggest that researchers and service providers should adopt a broader conceptualization of family violence victimization and increase the amount of services provided to children who are indirectly victimized.     

Alcohol availability and neighborhood poverty and their relationship to binge drinking and related problems among drinkers in committed relationships

The authors examined the relationship of alcohol outlet density (AOD) and neighborhood poverty with binge drinking and alcohol-related problems among drinkers in married and cohabitating relationships and assessed whether these associations differed across sex. A U.S. national population couples survey was linked to U.S. Census data on AOD and neighborhood poverty. The 1,784 current drinkers in the survey reported on their binge drinking, alcohol-related problems, and other covariates. AOD was defined as the number of alcohol outlets per 10,000 persons and was obtained at the zip code level. Neighborhood poverty was defined as having a low (<20%) or high (≥20%) proportion of residents living in poverty at the census tract level. We used logistic regression for survey data to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals and tested for differences of associations by sex. Associations of neighborhood poverty with binge drinking were stronger for male than for female drinkers. The association of neighborhood poverty with alcohol-related problems was also stronger for men than for women. We observed no relationships between AOD and binge drinking or alcohol-related problems in this couples survey. Efforts to reduce binge drinking or alcohol-related problems among partners in committed relationships may have the greatest impact if targeted to male drinkers living in high-poverty neighborhoods. Binge drinking and alcohol-related problems, as well as residence in an impoverished neighborhood are risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) and other relationship conflicts.     

Family Representative Payeeship and Violence Risk in Severe Mental Illness

Although representative payeeship is prevalent among people with mental illness and shows promise to positively influence clinically relevant outcomes, research also suggests this legal mechanism could be implemented in ways that are problematic. The current study examined whether family representative payeeship was associated with elevated risk of family violence perpetrated by persons with severe mental illness (SMI). Data were collected every 4 months for 1 year in structured interviews with N = 245 persons with SMI who received disability benefits. Multivariate analyses showed that substance abuse, history of violence, frequency of family contact, and family representative payeeship were associated with elevated odds of family violence. Analyses also showed family contact and family representative payeeship had a cumulative effect on increasing the predicted probability of family violence (controlling for covariates such as violence history and substance abuse). The data shed light on the potential for family representative payeeship to be associated with increased risk of interpersonal conflict and violence in SMI.     

Physical violence in Utah households

Using the Conflict Tactics Scale, a random sample of 1471 Utah residential units was selected in 1986 to assess family violence. Results were compared with data from the Straus and Gelles (1986) United States national survey of family violence. Spousal violence rates in Utah households were slightly higher than those in the national survey. Income, employment status, education, family size, religiosity, marital power structure, and gender role orientation failed to differentiate spousal violence rates. Parent-to-child violence rates were less in Utah than in the national survey. Severe mother-to-child violence was influenced substantially by educational level, family size, employment status, and gender role orientation. High level of education for traditionally oriented mothers who are not employed was associated with severe physical violence toward their children.     

A Family Affair: The Juvenile Court and Family Violence Cases

Little attention has been devoted to studies of adolescent family violence offending, yet research on adult populations show that victim relationship may make a difference in how offenders are treated in the criminal justice system. Given that the intergenerational transmission of violence may operate through adolescent family violence, a detailed examination of these youth is warranted. Through an analysis of detained youth in a small northeastern state, this study examines differences in court treatment between family and non-family offenders. Family violence offenders are significantly more likely to be minor offenders and to be female than are non-family offenders. Results of logistic regression show that, all else being equal, family violence youth are treated more leniently by the court than non-family offenders. Finally, while most youth are released to community dispositions, there are no differences in court-ordered family counseling between family and non-family offenders. These findings point to areas of needed research on adolescent family violence offenders and larger policy questions about how such youth should be treated relative to other youth. A previous version of this paper was presented at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Denver, CO.     

Irrational Beliefs About Family Violence: A Pilot Study Within Jordanian University Students

This pilot study aimed to explore the irrational beliefs of family violence within Jordanian society. Students in the study included 500 volunteered undergraduate students enrolled in a university requirement course at Hashemite University. A questionnaire was constructed to investigate students’ irrational beliefs of family violence. The results of the study indicated high agreement with most of the irrational beliefs about family and psychological violence. Moreover, the results revealed that females were more agreeable on the irrational beliefs of the family violence than males. The results of the study may reflect lack of awareness of family violence and its consequences on the individual emotional and behavioral system.     

Spousal Violence and Alcohol/Drug Problems Among Parolees and Their Spouses

The relationships of alcohol and drug problems to spousal violence for a sample of male parolees (n = 82) and their spouses were investigated. Alcohol problems were present in 76% of the parolees and 56% of the spouses. Seventy three percent of the parolees and 40% of the spouses reported using some type of illegal drug on a regular basis. Both parolees and their spouses gave reports on his and her spousal violence. During the three months preceding the interviews, 78% of the parolees and 72% of the spouses perpetrated moderate violence; 33% of the parolees and 39% of the spouses perpetrated severe violence. Regression analyses revealed that his alcohol problems increased the level of his violence when there were no drug problems, and that either of their alcohol problems increased the level of his violence. Given the high rates of spousal violence and the interrelationships with alcohol/drug problems, intervention efforts aimed at addressing family violence are needed.     

The Contribution of Family Relationships to Child-to-Parent Violence

Child-to-parent violence is a social problem that is qualitatively different from other types of family violence, since adolescents direct their violence toward those who should represent authority and provide for their welfare. One of the goals of this study was to analyze the importance of the quality of family relationships and different strategies of family discipline with regard to violent or prosocial behavior of adolescents toward their parents. Structural Equation Modeling was used to test a model of violent behavior towards parents. Participants were 585 children aged between 12 and 18 from eight schools in the Basque Country (Spain). Positive family discipline and supervision were not associated with lower levels of violence against parents. Family relationships had direct effects on child-to-parent violence, and power-assertive discipline showed a mediating effect in that association. It seems that affectivity and quality of family relationships are the most important aspects for preventing violent behaviors.     

Lifetime Family Violence and Depression: The Case of Older Women in South Korea

The current study examined the prevalence of lifetime family violence among older women (N = 525) and the influence of family violence on depression using data from a national survey in South Korea. The major findings were that 49.3 % of respondents had been victimized from lifetime family violence, the prevalence of childhood maltreatment was 37.1 % and intimate partner violence was 23.4 %. Approximately, 55 % of participants had clinical depression, which was significantly associated with reported experiences of family violence. The findings suggest that family violence and depression are common social problems and that individualized intervention for older women in South Korea is needed.     

Gender Differences in Health Symptoms Associated with the Exposure to Physical Violence in Family: Data from the 2006 National Health Survey in Serbia

This study analyzed gender differences in exposure to family violence in Serbia and its association with health symptoms. Using data from the National Health Survey 2006 in Serbia, univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were run to examine the association between exposure to physical violence in the family (in the past 12 months) and the occurrence of 15 different health symptoms (in the past 4 weeks). Out of 12,646 interviewed adults (older than 20), women reported experiencing family violence nearly 1.7 times more often than men (1.28 % vs. 0.75 %). Women had nine health symptoms significantly associated with experienced violence, while men had four, even after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics. Depression and insomnia were common for both genders. Results suggest that physicians should pay attention to health complaints, consider family violence as an associated factor, and address violence in a gender sensitive way that is free of prejudice and preconceptions.     

Retrospective reports of family-of-origin divorce and abuse and college student's pre-parenthood cognitions

This study examined the relationship between pre-parenthood cognitions and family-of-origin divorce and aggression. College students from divorced (N=46) and intact (N=66) families were asked to report their positive and negative pre-parenthood beliefs. Young adults from divorced families were found to anticipate more concerns about parenthood than those from intact families. Second, consistent with hypothesis, number of parenting concers differed by reported level of physical victimization from father. Level of witnessing father-to-mother violence was also significantly associated with pre-parenthood concerns, as individuals who witnessed severe levels of father-to-mother violence reported more concerns about parenthood than did those witnessing mild violence, emotional abuse, or no physical or emotional abuse. Victimization from mother and witnessing mother-to-father violence were unrelated to pre-parenthood concerns. None of the family-of-origin experiences was found to relate to positive reasons for children. These findings suggest that divorce and physical abuse by father in the family-of-origin may result in altered negative pre-parenthood cognitions. The findings were discussed in relation to theories about the intergenerational transmission of negative family events, as well in relation to gender sensitive models of family violence.     

Cognitive Mechanisms of the Transmission of Violence: Exploring Gender Differences among Adolescents Exposed to Family Violence

This study focuses on the mechanisms through which exposure to family violence leads to aggressive behavior in adolescents who were the victims of abuse and neglect. A sample of 166 adolescents from residential child welfare and protection centers for victims of abuse and neglect completed measures of victimization and witnessing violence at home, three schemas (justification of violence, mistrust, and grandiosity), aggressiveness (proactive and reactive), and depression. The results showed that witnessing family violence is more intensely associated with aggressiveness than victimization, and that part of this association is mediated by schemas of justification of violence and grandiosity. Victimization was associated with less aggressiveness and more depression, through the schema of mistrust. In girls exposure to family violence was more intensely associated with aggressiveness.     

Specialist domestic violence courts for child arrangement cases:safer courtrooms and safer outcomes?

ABSTRACT

Child arrangement cases in England and Wales are dealt with in the ordinary family courts. Whilst a special practice direction is applicable to child arrangement proceedings where there are allegations of domestic abuse, there is no specialist domestic violence court in the family justice setting. However, court specialisation is a feature of the criminal justice system and has been demonstrated to have success in domestic violence cases. Some of the potential benefits of specialisation, such as the provision of safer courtrooms, might be transferable to the family justice setting. Given the well documented problems of ordinary courts dealing with child arrangements in domestic violence cases, this article considers whether court specialisation could provide victims with safer courtrooms and safer outcomes in child arrangement cases.     

Child Abuse in a Disciplinary Context: A Typology of Violent Family Environments

The objectives of this study were to identify and validate types of violent family environments based on child abuse in a disciplinary context. The study is original in that it simultaneously takes into account the cognitive and behavioral dimensions of the parental role as it relates to the degree of family violence in a child??s life. Cluster analyses were performed on a representative sample of 3,148 families. The Abusive profile applied to families who reported at least one severe assault on a child within the past year. This profile also had the highest levels of domestic violence, psychological aggression, and corporal punishment. The Harsh profile is nevertheless similar to the Abusive profile, despite the fact that these families reported no severe assault. The key difference is the lower score levels: the attributes are the same, but less intense. The Nonabusive profile accounted for the families with the lowest rates of domestic and parental violence, together with a negative attitude towards corporal punishment and a heightened awareness of the consequences of violence. Although the families who matched the Paradoxical profile reported very little violence, they are the least aware of the consequences of violence and the most in favor of corporal punishment. The four profiles were replicated with another cluster analysis performed on an independent representative sample of 2,465 families. Then the profiles were compared with regard to the variables used to create the clusters and other variables theoretically associated with the appearance of maltreatment. These validation methods enhance the credibility of the proposed typology.