Partner Physical Victimization in a National Sample of American Families: Relationship to Psychological Functioning, Psychosocial Factors, and Gender

• NCJ Number: 174151
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: February 1998 Pages: 156-166
• Author(s): C Zlotnick; R Kohn; J Peterson; T Pearlstein
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 11 pages
• Grant Number(s): HD21009
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the relationship between degrees of partner physical victimization and a range of psychological and psychosocial functioning in a representative sample of American married and cohabiting couples (n=6,451); the study also explored whether gender interacted with any of these factors to predict degree of physical victimization.

Abstract

Data were obtained from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), a comprehensive survey created to obtain information about current trends of American families during the years 1987 to 1988. The NSFH used a probability sample of 13,017 primary respondents. Only those subjects who were married or cohabiting at the time of the survey were asked to complete questions concerning physical aggression in their relationship. The survey used a modified Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in the respondent's self-administered portion of the survey as a measure of depressive symptoms or psychological distress. Social support was measured by examining the level of social activity and amount of actual material and emotional support received. The study found that increased levels of physical victimization were associated with greater levels of depressive symptomatology; however, it found that there were no significant interactions that involved gender or any of the variables of interest as predictors of degree of partner physical victimization. 21 references