Violence Against Women:  Developmental Antecedents Among Black, Caucasian, and Hispanic Women in the United States, 1987-1988 and 1992-1994

The aim of this study was to examine the factors related to
different patterns of male violence against women. Employing both
intra-individual and sociocultural perspectives, the project focused
on the relationship between violence against women and previously
established risk factors for intimate partner violence including
stressors related to work, economic status, and role transitions
(e.g., pregnancy), as well as family power dynamics, status
discrepancies, and alcohol use. The following research questions were
addressed: (1) To what extent do Caucasian, Black, and Hispanic
individuals engage in physical violence with their partners? (2) How
are socioeconomic stressors associated with violent relationships
among Caucasian, Black, and Hispanic couples? (3) To what extent are
changes in patterns of physical violence against women associated with
different stages of a relationship (e.g., cohabitation, early
marriage, pregnancy, marriage)? (4) To what extent do culturally
linked attitudes about family structure (family power dynamics)
predict violence among Caucasian, Black, and Hispanic couples? (5) To
what extent do family strengths and support systems contribute to the
cessation of violence among Caucasian, Black, and Hispanic couples?
(6) What is the role of alcohol use in violent relationships among
Caucasian, Black, and Hispanic couples? The data used for this project
came from the first and second waves of the National Survey of
Families and Households (NSFH) conducted by the Center for Demography
and Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison [NATIONAL SURVEY OF
FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS: WAVE I, 1987-1988, AND WAVE II, 1992-1994
(ICPSR 6906)]. The NSFH was designed to cover a broad range of family
structures, processes, and relationships with a large enough sample to
permit subgroup analysis. For the purposes of this study, the
analytical sample focused on only those couples who were cohabiting or
married at the time of the first wave of the study and still with the
same person at the time of the second wave (N=3,584). Since the study
design included oversamples of previously understudied groups (i.e.,
Blacks, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans), racial and ethnic comparisons were
possible. In both waves of the NSFH several identical questions were
asked regarding marital conflicts. Both married and cohabiting
respondents were asked how often they used various tactics including
heated arguments and hitting or throwing things at each other to
resolve their conflicts. In addition, respondents were asked if any of
their arguments became physical, how many of their fights resulted in
either the respondent or their partner hitting, shoving, or throwing
things, and if any injuries resulted as a consequence of these
fights. This data collection consists of the SPSS syntax used to
recode variables from the original NSFH dataset. In addition, new
variables, including both composite variables (e.g., self-esteem,
hostility, depression) and husband and wife versions of the variables
(using information from both respondent and partner), were
constructed. New variables were grouped into the following categories:
demographic, personality, alcohol and drug use, relationship stages,
gender role attitudes, division of labor, fairness in household
chores, social support, and isolation. Psychological well-being scales
were created to measure autonomy, positive relations with others,
purpose in life, self-acceptance, environmental mastery, and personal
growth. Additional scales were created to measure relationship
conflict, sex role gender attitudes, personal mastery, alcohol use,
and hostility. The Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale and the Center for
Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were also utilized.