Gender and Spousal Violence: A Test of Social Control and Resource Theories.

This research provides an explanation of spousal violence that has previously been lacking in the family violence literature--a social control approach. This research tests the hypothesis that those with stronger bonds to society will be less likely to engage in spousal violence. Furthermore, this research will incorporate the role that family structures have in stratifying social control for males and females by testing power-control theory, which suggests that women from egalitarian households of origin will be more likely to commit wife-to-husband violence than those from patriarchal households. Conversely, men from egalitarian households should be less likely to commit husband-to-wife violence than those from patriarchal households. Results derived from logit models provide partial support for social control theory; however, there is a lack of evidence to support power-control theory\u27s explanation of wife-to-husband violence