This paper describes how a family diagnostic instrument has been utilized and what advantages it may have as a tool for family therapy. (Author)

Data from a sample of 2,143 adult men and women were used to explore the relationship between wives' dependency on marriage, and wife abuse. Results indicated that it is economic and not psychological dependency which keeps women in severely abusive marriages. (Author)

In an attempt to measure intrafamily conflict and violence, the author introduces the Conflict Resolution Technique Scales (CRT). In practice, the way people deal with conflict is so much part of the unrealized, "taken for granted" ongoing pattern of life that much will be missed unless the respondent is specifically asked. In the case of the CRT…

With the exception of intra-family murder and child abuse, there has been very little research on violence between family members. However, preliminary results of this study indicate that even at age 17 and 18, 62 percent of siblings had hit each other during the previous 12-month period. Also, physical fights between husband and wife have…

This paper presents the data from a national survey of family violence and suggests that the roots of family violence lie in the organization of the family and in implicit cultural norms tolerating or approving violence as a means for social control. (Author/EB)

Application of the Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS) to the assessment of child abuse is described. The CTS is a brief instrument designed to measure three aspects of parent-to-child behavior: (1) reasoning; (2) psychological aggression; and (3) physical aggression. The psychological and physical aggression indexes are intended to measure the…

The Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS) is the most widely used instrument for measuring the tactics used by members of a family in a conflict situation. It is intended to measure the extent to which family members use reasoning, verbal aggression, and physical aggression. Focus is on: (1) bringing together and evaluating criticisms of the CTS so that…

Studies use of corporal punishment of adolescents by parents among 6,002 U.S. couples (National Family Violence Resurvey). Results for prevalence and chronicity show that half or more adolescents are hit by their parents and that this can occur frequently. Unfortunately, such events are not necessarily thought of as assaults. (SLD)