@article{ref1,
title="Marital power, conflict, and violence in a nationally representative sample of American couples",
journal="Violence and victims",
year="1986",
author="Coleman, D. H. and Straus, Murray A.",
volume="1",
number="2",
pages="141-157",
abstract="Data on a nationally representative sample of 2,143 couples are used to study the relationship to marital violence of the power structure of marriage, power norm consensus, and the level of marital conflict. The couples were classified as equalitarian, male-dominant, female-dominant, or divided power. Equalitarian couples had the lowest rates of conflict and violence and male-dominant and female-dominant couples had the highest rates. Although consensus about the legitimacy of a male-dominant and female-dominant power structure reduced conflict and violence in such families, when conflict did occur in such families, it was associated with a much higher risk of violence than a similar level of conflict in equalitarian families. Since equality in marriage is associated with low rates of intrafamily conflict and violence, laws, administrative decisions, and services that empower women and encourage men to value an equal partner are likely to be important steps to reducing violence and strengthen the family.  VioLit summary:   OBJECTIVE:       The purpose of this article by Coleman and Straus was to examine the inter-relationship between the power structure of married couples, the consensus with regard to power, the amount of marital conflict, and the rate of violence in marriages.  METHODOLOGY:       The findings presented in this article were based on an analysis of a nationally representative &quot;area probability&quot; sample of 2,143 couples interviewed in January and February, of 1976. The sample was sorted into two groups containing of women and 960 men.       Measurement of the balance of marital power was determined by the response to the following questions -- who has the final say in car buying, having children, where to live, what job either partner should take, whether a partner should go to work or quit work, and how much money goes to food.       Measurements taken to determine the legitimacy of power asked respondents who they thought should have the power. A Power Norm Consensus Index was computed by obtaining the difference between spouses on the original six questions and summing the difference without regard to sign.       Marital conflict was measured using the Marital Conflict Index. Subjects were asked to respond to questions asking how often during the past year there was agreement on managing money, cooking, cleaning, repairing the house, social activities, affection and sexual relations, and issues regarding children.       Violence between couples was measured using the Violence Scale of the Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS). The CTS established the severity of violence, by distinguishing between minor and severe violent acts. Minor violence included those times when the spouse threw something, pushed, grabbed, shoved, or slapped. Cross tabulation was used for statistical analysis.       The Power Norm Consensus Index and Marital Conflict Index were then trichotomized into low, middle and high categories. Bivariate relationships were examined. Interaction effects, assuming functionalist and conflict theories, were tested.  FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:       The authors differentiated the couples into one of four marital power types: male-dominant, female-dominant, equalitarian (joint decisions), and divided power (divided responsibility). The results from the marital conflict by marital power structure, revealed that the equalitarian couples had the lowest amount of conflict; male-dominant couples displayed the highest degree of conflict; and divided power and female-dominant couples ranked between the first two groups.       Results did not indicate that equality in marriages would be achieved at the expense of marital harmony. Balance of power results indicated that 22% of the male-dominate couples had high consensus as to who should have the final say, compared to 48% of the equalitarian couples. The authors believed that this may explain the high level of violence in previous studies of male-dominant relationships.       A consensus effect shows that irrespective of power type, the more consensus, less conflict there was between couples. These findings are consistent with a basic principle of Functionalist theory which states that consensus makes for social integration and cohesion.       A positive correlation for the relationship between the level of conflict and the rate of minor violence was discovered. Results supported the conflict theorist's tenet that although conflict is an inherent part of human interaction, violence is not. The data indicated that the relationship between conflict and violence is strongly influenced by the power structure of the marriage. Results suggested the existence of a &quot;breaking point&quot; or a &quot;tolerance level&quot; of conflict before which conflict escalates into violence.       Comparison of the four marital power types indicated that agreement on the legitimacy of the power structure is an important factor in reducing the level of conflict. Male dominant relationships have the highest amount of conflict, but this was reduced if the couple agreed on the appropriateness of that arrangement. These findings were consistent with &quot;normative integration&quot; theories of the family, proposed by Parsons and Bales (1955).       Results were consistent with other aspects of Conflict Theory; specifically, the higher the conflict, the greater the rate of violence.  Also, that the power structure of the relationship is strongly and independently related to violence. The authors believed that the most important finding may be that there was an interactive effect in which the power structure effects the relationship between conflict and violence. Equalitarian marriages were found to have the least amount of conflict and violence.       The authors thought it important to note that, in regards to public policy, certain &quot;pro-family&quot; critics believe that the abandonment of male-dominant power structures will lead to chaos and conflict. This research suggested the opposite. Equalitarian couples had the highest consensus with respect to power, and the lowest rates of conflict and violence.  AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:       The authors noted that their findings may help identify important steps to reducing violence and help strengthen families cohesiveness. They felt that violence may be reduced when laws and services help empower women and encourage men to value women as equal partners. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado) N1  - Call Number: J, AB-237 KW  - 1970s KW  - Spouse Abuse Causes KW  - Spouse Abuse Incidence and Prevalence KW  - Spouse Abuse Offender KW  - Spouse Abuse Rates KW  - Spouse Abuse Victim KW  - Domestic Violence Causes KW  - Domestic Violence Incidence and Prevalence KW  - Domestic Violence Offender KW  - Domestic Violence Rates KW  - Domestic Violence Victim KW  - Family Relations KW  - Family Conflict KW  - Couple Conflict KW  - Couple Relations KW  - Marital Conflict KW  - Marital Relations KW  - Husband Offender KW  - Wife Victim KW  - Power and Control KW  - Victim Offender Relations KW  - Partner Violence KW  - Violence Against Women<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0886-6708",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}