Family Violence and Adolescents' Perceptions of Outcomes of Family Conflict

• NCJ Number: 105807
• Journal: Journal of Marriage and the Family Issue: 49, N 1 Dated: (February 1987) Pages: 165-171
• Author(s): M J Martin; W R Schumm; M A Bugaighis; A P Jurich; S R Bollman
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 7 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A study of 181 families in Kansas containing at least one adolescent member suggests that nonviolent families are more likely to report successful conflict resolution and that adolescents feel greater anger toward parents in atmospheres of increasingly severe family violence.

Abstract

Discriminant analyses compared levels of verbal and physical violence in rural and urban families with adolescent family members' attitudes toward family conflict and family satisfaction. Nonviolence in mothers was associated with much higher adolescent satisfaction than were verbal or both verbal and physical violence. Adolescent satisfaction decreased consistently from nonviolence to verbal violence to verbal and physical violence in fathers. Violence does not seem to be an effective control strategy. 2 footnotes, 2 tables, and references. (Author abstract modified)