Publication year
2002
Citation Title
Intimate partner violence among married male U.S. Army soldiers: Ethnicity as a factor in self-reported perpetration and victimization
Journal Name
Violence and Victims
Journal Volume
17
Issue Number
5
Page Numbers
607-622
DOI
10.1891/vivi.17.5.607.33716
Summary
Findings from previous research are mixed in identifying and determining the effects and types of violence among intimate partners. Self-report data collected from 488 male U.S. Army Soldiers were used to examine how depression, marital adjustment, and psychological and behavioral health were related to intimate partner violence (IPV). Findings revealed that Black Soldiers were more likely to experience IPV from their partner, while White Soldiers inflicted more IPV on their partners. Many factors were related to IPV among study participants.
Key Findings
Black Soldiers who experienced severe aggression (i.e., kicking, stabbing, shooting) were at greater risk for depression and marital problems than White Soldiers.
Black male Soldiers were more likely to report being a victim of severe partner aggression than White Soldiers, especially when the couple did not agree on important relationship issues (i.e., household tasks).
White Soldiers who reported greater mistrust of others were more likely to perpetrate severe partner aggression and to have a history of childhood physical and emotional abuse than Black Soldiers.
Implications for Program Leaders
Enhance education, activities, and curricula related to managing important relationship issues among Service members and their partners (e.g., making decisions, handling financial matters)
Educate military couples with a history of IPV about positive coping skills
Disseminate information regarding possible symptoms of mental health problems Service members and their partners may experience and where individuals and families can find support
Implications for Policy Makers
Encourage the development and continuation of programs that promote positive coping among Service members and their partners
Continue to support programs for identification and prevention of IPV in military couples
Recommend further research examining factors related to a history of childhood physical and emotional abuse among Service members and their families
Methods
Soldiers at an Army base in Alaska were recruited by word-of-mouth to participate in this study.
Data were collected via questionnaires assessing IPV, marital adjustment, alcohol problems, narcissism, and seasonal mood disorder.
Relationship between IPV, demographic characteristics (i.e., age, pay), psychological and behavioral health (i.e., depression, alcohol problems), and marital adjustment were examined.
Participants
The sample consisted of 488 U.S. Active Duty, enlisted Soldiers who were part of a non-deployable unit.
All Soldiers were male, with an average age of 27 years.
All Soldiers were either White (n = 358) or Black (n = 130).
Limitations
Data were self-reported, thus findings may be biased toward the male partner’s point of view.
The sample consisted of only male Soldiers, and results may not generalize to female Soldiers
The sample may have selection bias as the study participants were not recruited at random.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine the effects of childhood physical and emotional abuse on partner aggression later in life
Collect data from a random, representative sample of Service members, including female Service members and Service members of other races/ethnicities
Conduct a similar study examining IPV among a sample of military and non-military couples where both partners are involved in the study
Focus
Army
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Correlates of self-reported intimate partner violence (IPV) were examined among 488 married male U.S. Army soldiers. Study results were examined within the framework of Johnson's (1995) typology, which proposes that there are two main types of IPV, common couple violence, and intimate terrorism. We predicted that poor marital adjustment would be associated with minor violence, hypothesized to be indicative of common couple violence. We also predicted that psychological and behavioral characteristics associated with perpetrators of IPV would be more strongly correlated with severe inflicted aggression-- a pattern hypothesized to be indicative of intimate terrorism. The results, based on a multivariate analysis of covariance, generally supported our hypotheses. Furthermore, the higher levels of IPV reported by Black respondents in this study were associated with the pattern hypothesized to be characteristic of common couple violence.
Abstract Document
Attach