Citation

Leonard KE. Acta Psychiatr. Scand. Suppl. 2002; 106(412): 9-14.

Affiliation

Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York and Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1034/j.1600-0447.106.s412.3.x

PMID

12072119

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This paper reviews evidence regarding the deviance disavowal approach to alcohol-related violence. It focuses on whether alcohol intoxication is used to excuse domestic violence, and whether this can explain alcohol/violence association. METHOD: Four hypotheses derived from the deviance disavowal approach were identified, including (i) people accept alcohol as a cause of violence; (ii) people attribute less blame and punishment to intoxicated aggressors than to sober aggressors; (iii) the belief that alcohol causes or excuses violence should be associated with and predict the occurrence of alcohol-related domestic violence; and (iv) the administration of a placebo should increase aggressive behaviour. RESULTS: The review suggested that some people do accept alcohol as a cause of violence, but that alcohol does not appear to mitigate blame, and this belief is not longitudinally predictive of violence. CONCLUSION: The evidence for a deviance disavowal model of alcohol and domestic violence appears quite weak.

Language: en