Abstract
The present study provided an assessment of assertion and problem solving skills in couples characterized by wife abuse. A role play test and problem solving interaction task were administered to couples who were (a) physically abusive, (b) maritally discordant but nonviolent, and (c) satisfactorily married. Results indicated that members of abusive dyads exhibited deficits on selected behavioral components of assertion. However, few differences were observed between these dyads and the maritally discordant, nonviolent condition. Findings are discussed in terms of (1) the need for further evaluation of interpersonal skill variables in physically abusive males, (2) issues in selection of measures and subjects, and (3) the need to consider the possible interactive effects of multiple factors in family violence research.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ball, P. G., and Wyman, E. (1978). Battered wives and powerlessness: What can counselors do?Victimology 2: 545–552.
Bellack, A. S. (1983). Recurrent problems in the behavioral assessment of social skills.Behav. Res. Ther. 21: 29–41.
Bellack, A. S., Hersen, M., and Himmelhoch, J. M. (1980). Social skills training for depression: A treatment manual.JSAS Catalog Selected Doc. Psychol. 10: 92 (Ms. No. 2156).
Bellack, A. S., and Morrison, R. L. (1982). Interpersonal dysfunction. In Hersen, M., Bellack, A. S., and Kazdin, A. E. (eds.),International Handbook of Behavior Modification and Therapy, Plenum, New York.
Davidson, T. (1978).Conjugal Crime, Hawthorn Books, New York.
Deschner, J. P. (1984).The Hitting Habit, Free Press, New York.
Eisler, R. M., Hersen, M., and Miller, P. M. (1973). Effects of modeling on components of assertive behavior.J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatr. 4: 1–6.
Eisler, R. M., Hersen, M., Miller, P. M., and Blanchard, E. B. (1975). Situational determinants of assertive behaviors.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 43: 330–340.
Faulk, M. (1974). Men who assault their wives.Med. Sci. Law 14: 180–183.
Gayford, J. J. (1975). Wife battering: A preliminary survey of 100 cases.Brit. Med. J. 1: 194–197.
Gelles, R. J. (1976). Abused wives: Why do they stay?J. Marriage Fam. 38: 659–668.
Goode, W. J. (1971). Force and violence in the family.J. Marriage Family 33: 624–636.
Harper, R. G., Wiens, A. N., and Matarazzo, J. D. (1978).Nonverbal Communication: The State of the Art, Wiley, New York.
Hilberman, E., and Munson, K. (1978). Sixty battered women.Victimol. Int. J. 2: 460–470.
Hops, H., Willis, T., Patterson, G., and Weiss, R. (1972).Marital Interaction Coding System, Unpublished manuscript, University of Oregon Research Institute.
Hornung, C. A., McCullough, B. C., and Sugimoto, T. (1981). Status relationships in marriage: Risk factors in spouse abuse.J. Marriage Family 42: 675–692.
Jacob, T. (1974). Patterns of family conflict and dominance as a function of child age and social class. Dev. Psychol. 10: 1–12.
Labell, L. S. (1979). Wife abuse: A sociological study of battered women and their mates.Victimology 4: 258–267.
Levine, M. B. (1975). Interparental violence and its effect on the children: A study of 50 families in general practice.Med. Sci. Law 15: 172–176.
Locke, H. J., and Wallace, K. M. (1957). Short-term marital adjustment and prediction test: Their reliability and validity.J. Marriage Family Living 21: 251–255.
Margolin, G. (1979). Conjoint marital therapy to enhance anger management and reduce spouse abuse.Am. J. Family Ther. 7: 13–23.
Margolin, G., Sibner, L. G., and Gleberman, L. (1987). Wife battering. In Van Hasselt, V. B. Morrison, R. L., Bellack, A. S., and Hersen, M. (eds.),Handbook of Family Violence, Plenum New York.
Morrison, R. L., and Van Hasselt, V. B. (1980).The Physical Abuse Questionnaire (PAQ)for Assessing Marital Violence, Unpublished manuscript, University of Pittsburgh.
O'Leary, K. D., and Curley, A. D. (1986). Assertion and family violence: Correlates of spouse abuse.J. Marital Family Ther. 12: 281–289.
O'Leary, K. D., Curley, A., Rosenbaum, A., and Clarke, C. (1985). Assertion training for abused wives: A potentially hazardous treatment.J. Marital Family Ther. 11: 319–322.
Panek, D. M., and Martin, B. (1959). The relationship between GSR and speech disurbances in psychotherapy.J. Abnorm. Social Psychol. 58: 402–405.
Rosenbaum, A., and O'Leary, K. D. (1981). Marital violence: Characteristics of abusive couples.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 49, 63–71.
Rounsaville, B. J. (1978). Theories in marital violence: Evidence from a study of battered women.Victimol. Int. J. 3: 11–31.
Roy, M. (1977). A current survey of 150 cases. In Roy, M. (ed.),Battered Women: A Psychosociological Study of Domestic Violence, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.
Scott, P. D. (1974). Battered wives.Brit. J. Psychiatr. 125: 433–441.
Shainess, N. (1977). Psychological aspects of wife battering. In Roy, M. (eds.),Battered Women: A Psychosociological Study of Domestic Violence, Van Nostrand, New York.
Siegman, A. W., and Pope, B. (eds.). (1972).Studies in Dyadic Communication, Pergamon Press. New York.
Snell, J. E., Rosenwald, R. J., and Robey, A. (1964). The wifebeater's wife: A study of family interaction.Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 11: 107–112.
Star, B. (1978). Comparing battered and non-battered women.Victimology 3: 32–44.
Stark, E., Flitcraft, A., and Frazier, W. (1983). Medicine and patriarchal violence: The social construction of a “private” event. In Navaro, V. (eds.),Women and Health: The Politics of Sex in Medicine (Vol. 4), Baywood, New York, pp. 277–299.
Steinmetz, S. K. (1977). Wife beating, husband beating: A comparison of the use of physical violence between spouses to resolve marital fights. In Roy, M. (eds.),Battered Women: A Psychosociological Study of Domestic Violence, Von Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp. 63–72.
Straus, M. A. (1977). Wife-beating: How common and why?Victimology 2: 443–458.
Straus, M. A. (1978).The Social Causes of Interpersonal Violence: The Example of Family Violence and Odyssey House Non-violence, Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto.
Tinklenberg, J. R. (1973). Alcohol and violence. In Bourne, P. G., and Fox, R. (eds.),Alcoholism: Progress in Research and Treatment, Academic Press, New York.
Tower, P., Bryant, B., & Argyle, M. (1978).Social Skills and Mental health, University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh.
Van Hasselt, V. B., Morrison, R. L., and Beilack, A. S. (1985). Alcohol use in wife abusers and their spouses.Addict. Behav. 10: 127–135.
Walker, L. E. (1984).The Battered Women Syndrome, Springer, New York.
Weiss, R. (1978). The conceptualization of marriage from a behavioral perspective. In Paolino, T., and McCrady, B. (eds.),Marriage and Marital Therapy, Brunner/Mazel, New York.
Weiss, R. (1980).The Areas of Change Questionnaire, Marital Studies Program, University of Oregon, Department of Psychology.
Wolfe, D. A. (1985). Child-abusive parents: An empirical review and analysis.Psychological Bull. 97: 462–482.
Wolpe, J., and Lazarus, A. A. (1966).Behavior Therapy Techniques: A Guide to the Treatment of Neuroses, Pergamon Press, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This study was supported by Grant 1 R03 MH32870-01 from the National Institute of Mental Health. It was carried out while the authors were at the Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh. The authors wish to thank Greta Francis for her contributions to the investigation.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Morrison, R.L., Van Hasselt, V.B. & Bellack, A.S. Assessment of assertion and problem-solving skills in wife abusers and their spouses. J Fam Viol 2, 227–238 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00976541
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00976541