Chapter Fourteen: Crisis

and Violence in Families

Gene H. Starbuck, Ph.D.

Mesa State College
2000
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Chapter 14

Introduction
This lecture first outlines the basic
tenets of Family System Theory.
Then Hills ABCX Model of family
crisis will be described.

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Family Systems Theory:

Background
Grew from theories developed by
Parsons and Bales.
Is consistent with some structurefunctionalist assumptions.
Is often used to guide family therapy
processes.

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Family Systems Theory:

Assumptions
1. The family is made up of
interdependent individuals that
constitute a whole greater than the
sum of its parts.

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Family Systems Theory:

Assumptions
2. A family system has boundaries.

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Family Systems Theory:

Assumptions
3. A family system is part of a larger
system of community and society.
Society
School

Family
Government

Religious
Community
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Economy
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Family Systems Theory:

Assumptions
4. A family system has sub-systems.

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Family Systems Theory:

Assumptions
5. Systems are homeostatic
mechanisms.
After a period of stress they generally
attempt to return to their previous
condition.
Like a home heating system.

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Defining Family Crisis

Stressors: Events with the potential of
causing major change in a family system.
Coping: Management of stressors without
detrimental effects to the family system.
Crisis: The period of disorganization
resulting from a stressor that ordinary
coping mechanisms have trouble dealing
with.
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Reuben Hills ABC-X Model

B Family Resources

A Stressor Event

X Crisis

Normative-developmental
or Exceptional;
Acute or Chronic
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C Interpretation of
Stressor
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McCubbins Double ABCX

Model

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Introduction
History of child abuse;
Current procedures for dealing with
child abuse.
History of spouse abuse
Walkers model of wife-beating;
National survey data;
Current practices.
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Social Movements Theory

Social change occurs as a result of
effort by moral entrepreneurs and
claimsmakers to change the
boundaries of social acceptability
Change norms, or move norms from
informal to formal status.

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Social Movements Theory

(cont.)
Movements most successful when a
case can be made that:
1. There is a widespread social evil;
2. There is a class of innocent victims
who have moral capital;
3. Change is possible and desirable.

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History of Child Abuse in

America
Historical enforcement of rights of
parents;
Massachusetts Bay Colony: Rebellious
sons law
Children stoned to death for serious
misbehavior.
Original source: Bible, Deuteronomy
21:18-21
Law repealed in 1681
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History of Child Abuse in

America (Cont.)
The 19th century child saver
movement;
New York City, 1874, case of Mary Ellen
Resulted in American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children
(SPCC), modeled after ASPCA
Federal government founded United
States Childrens Bureau in 1912.
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History of Child Abuse in

America (Cont.)
Radiologist C. Henry Kempes 1962 JAMA
article, The Battered Child Syndrome,
got national attention.
Journal speculated: BCS might be more
serious than leukemia, cystic fibrosis and
muscular dystrophy combined.
Time of structural readiness to change.
Civil rights movement;
Prestige of medical field.
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History of Child Abuse in

America (Cont.)
U.S. Congress passed 1974 Child Abuse
Prevention and Treatment Act.
Child Abuse and Neglect means the
physical or mental injury, sexual abuse,
negligent treatment, or maltreatment of any
child under the age of eighteen by a person
who is responsible for the childs welfare
under circumstances that indicate the childs
health or welfare is harmed or threatened
thereby.
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History of Child Abuse in

America (Cont.)
All states developed procedures for dealing
with child abuse based on model program;
Child Protective Services or similar entity
created to deal with child abuse--in
addition to existing criminal laws.
Mandatory Reporting; anonymous reporting;
Mandatory Investigation
Can utimately lead to termination of parental
rights.

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Basic Types of Child

Mistreatment
Abuse (commission)
Physical
Sexual
Emotional

Neglect (omission)
Failure to provide necessities, or the do
what a prudent parent would do.
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Correlates of Child Abuse

(Most also true for spouse abuse)

Family history of childhood abuse;

Social structural stress;
Young parents;
Poverty;
Race (difference largely disappears when control for
poverty, single parents, etc.)
Social isolation;
Gender (women more than men--responsibility);
Alcohol/drug abuse
Misconceptions about child development.

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History of Spouse Abuse

Historically, the state was reluctant to
regulate internal family matters.
State did support a particular family
system.
English Common Law: Husbands were legally
responsible for the actions of their wives;
husbands allowed power to restrain their
wives using domestic chastisement but was
prohibited from using physical violence.
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History of Spouse Abuse

(cont)
Informal enforcement of anti-abuse norms:
Family enforcement--family of the bride;
Community enforcement--The charivari
Religious enforcement--sermons, pastors

Violence was probably more accepted

than today--like bad weather.
19th century feminists:
wife beating along with divorce reform, the
vote, and outlawing alcohol.
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Lenore Walkers Model

1979 The Battered Women
1984 The Battered Woman
Syndrome
1989 Terrifying Love: Why Battered
Women Kill and How Society Responds
Became the dominant model of the
Womens Shelter movement.
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Lenore Walkers Model

(cont)
The cycle of violence
Tension
Building
Loving and
Contrite
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Explosion (Battering
Incident)
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Lenore Walkers Model

(cont)
Learned Helplessless
From Seligmans experiments on dogs.
Belief that partner is all-powerful.
Belief that nothing can prevent more
violence.
Sometimes, belief that killing the partner is
the only escape.
Now allowed as defense in some murder
cases.
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Lenore Walker and Social

Movement
Walker was moral entrepreneur
and claimsmaker.
Widespread evil;
Innocent victim (women)
Can be fixed.

But is she right?

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Gelles, Steinmetz, Straus

Nationally representative sample of
married and cohabiting couples.
Part of Conflict Tactics Scale.

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National Survey of Family Violence,

1985, by Action and Perpetrator

Action
Husband
Threw something
2.8 4.3
Push/grab/shove
9.3 8.9
Slapped/spanked
2.9 4.1
Kick/bit/hit with fist 1.5 2.4
Hit/tried hit with object
1.7 3.0
Beat up
0.8 0.4
Threat with knife/ gun
0.4 0.6
Used knife/ gun 0.2 0.2
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Wife

29

 Source of previous slide: Strauss, M.

A., and R. J. Gelles (1990). Physical
Violence in American Families: Risk
Facotrs and Adaptations to Violence
in 8,145 Families. New Brunswick,
NJ: Transaction Publishers.

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Distribution of Couples by Violence Type

7.8 4.4 3.6

Neither Violent
Both Violent
Wife Only
84.2

Husband only

Source: Strauss, M. A., and R. J. Gelles (1990). Physical Violence

in American Families: Risk Facotrs and Adaptations to Violence in
8,145 Families. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
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Current Issues in Domestic

Violence Policies
Mandatory Arrest?
Mandatory Counseling?
To what extent should the state get
involved in family matters?

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Family Violence

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