Etiology of Family Violence: Theoretical ideas

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Etiology of Family ViolenceTheoretical ideas

• Dr. Michelle L. Meloy

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Psychiatric Model of Family Violence Explains
family violence by looking at personality
attributes, disorders and individualistic
factors.
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Look to the individual Psychiatric-Psychopatholo
gical Model

• Medical perspectives understand violence by
  analyzing offender personality traits and mental
  status (some of these studies also focus on the
  role of the victim)
• Theory Mental illness personality disorders
  cause offenders to act violently (narcissism,
  depression, antisocial)
• Bottom-line Personal issues cause family
  violence
• Limitation Most mentally ill people are not
  violent
• Example Andrea Yates murdering her children

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Look to the individual Substance Abuse Theory

• Drugs or alcohol cause family violence
• Theory substances lower inhibitions and impair
  judgment
• Bottom-line Strong association between
  drugs-alcohol-and victimization suggests an
  interaction that often leads to violence
• Limitation Many abusers do not use substances
  most people who use substances are not violent
• Example Drugs and child abuse

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Social Psychological Model of Family
ViolenceIncludes external factors in
explanation of family violence. Environment of
the family or individual can cause violence.
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Look to society the individual
Frustration-aggression Theory

• Individuals act aggressively when they perceive
  someone or something as an obstacle
• Theory violence occurs when a goal is blocked by
  another family member and aggression perceived as
  solution
• Bottom-line Socialization teaches males to
  respond to frustration w/aggression
• Limitation Most people who become frustrated do
  not act out violently
• Example Susan Smith drowns her children

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Look to society the individualSocial Learning
Theory

• Social learning process is accomplished through
  modeling reinforcement
• Theory The type of behavior that is most
  frequently reinforced by others is the one that
  is most likely to be used
• Bottom-line Children model violent behavior of
  others and violence is reinforced by
  reward/punishment Limitation Does not explain
  all forms of family violence, especially
  spontaneous acts
• Example Spanking causes kids to be violent

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Look to society the individual Sociobiology or
Evolutionary Theory

• Parents act aggressively towards non-biological
  children or their own children with low changes
  to reproduce
• Theory individuals behave in ways that maximize
  reproduction of their genetic make-up
• Bottom-line Parents will not emotionally attach
  or invest in children with low reproductive
  potential
• Limitation Most step-children and children who
  are disabled or unlikely to reproduce are not
  abused
• Example Collingswood parents starve adopted
  children while biological off spring are healthy

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Sociocultural Models of Family ViolenceLook to
socialization process and gender norms to
understand men womens behavior. Cultural
attitudes towards gender roles and acceptance of
violence cause of family violence.
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Look beyond the individual Culture of Violence
Theory

• Violence is concentrated in segments of populous
  poorest communities
• Theory Violent subcultures teach aggression as a
  way to resolve conflicts
• Bottom-line People living in poor communities
  are more likely to resolve their conflicts with
  violence
• Limitation No explanation as to how violent
  prone value systems are formed nor can the theory
  explain violence outside these violent enclaves

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Look beyond the individual Violence and the Media

• Youth are bombarded with violent images and toys
• Connection between violent media images and
  delinquency violence topic of research for 40
  yrs
• Theory Violent media images lead to
  desensitization towards violence thus making it
  more acceptable
• Bottom-line Exposure to excessive violent images
  increases likelihood of violent behavior
• Limitation Research has failed to establish
  causal relationship

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Look beyond the individual Patriarchy Theory

• Cultural, financial political inferiority of
  women allows them to be treated as possessions of
  men
• Theory Womens subordinate status to men leaves
  them vulnerable to abuse in a system/culture
  where they are valued less than men
• Bottom-line Long-standing gender power
  differential legitimatizes male perpetrated
  family violence
• Limitation Fails to explain violent women

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Popular Theoretical PremiseCycle of Violence
Theory

• Intergenerational transmission of violence theory
  is one of the most heavily studied most popular
  theories of family violence
• Theory Violent behavior is learned within the
  family and passed from one generation to the next
• Bottom-line Direct and indirect exposure to
  violence in childhood increases risk of adulthood
  family violence
• Limitation Strength of relationship varies by
  study