International Family Violence and Child

Victimization Research Conference

Portsmouth, NH

The Effects of Intimate Partner Violence among Seventh-day Adventists

Rene’ DrummMarciana Popescu

Coauthor: Robert KirstingJuly 10, 2006

Methodology

Quantitative, survey Stratified random sample of 49 churches,

1431 responses In-person presentation followed by survey

and group participation, locked collection box

Percentage Comparison with Other Populations on Physical Violence

Lifetime Physical Violence by an Intimate Partner Women Percent Men Percent

Type of Assault Our Sample National Our

Sample National

Total (anyone reporting at least one of the following) 33.8 22.11 -

37.62 20.1 7.41- 18.23

Threw, smashed, hit, or kicked something to frighten you 27.4 8.1 13.4 4.4

Pushed, grabbed, or shoved you 28.2 18.1 17.0 5.4

Beat you up 8.8 8.5 2.4 .6

Threatened to use a weapon on you 7.1 3.1 5.1 1.0

Used a weapon on you 2.0 .8 2.2 .45

1 Tjaden, P. & Thonnes, N. (November, 2000). Full Report of the Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence against Women Research Report: Findings from the National Violence against Women Survey. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2 Coker, A. L., Smith, P. H., McKeown, R. E., & King, M. J. (2000). Frequency and correlates of Intimate Partner Violence by type: Physical, sexual, and psychological battering. American Journal of Public Health, 90(4), pp. 553-559.3 Schaefer, J., Caetano, R., and Clark, C.L. (1998). Rates of intimate partner violence in the United States. American Journal of Public Health 88 (11) pp. 1702-1704.

Research Questions

What are the effects associated with IPV in this conservative Christian denomination?

How are those effects differentially associated with demographic and social history variables?

Analysis

Factor analysis to determine types of effects

Stepwise regression to discover variables associated with effect types

Results: Effect Types

Emotional Difficulties Parenting Difficulties Suicidal Ideation Spiritual Effects

Factor AnalysisFactor 1 Emotional Difficulties Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3Felt your life was out of control 0.797Felt very nervous 0.791Felt so sad, blue, down in the dumps

that nothing could cheer you up 0.738Felt worn out or tired 0.742Avoided thinking about the difficulties

in your life 0.627

Factor 2 Parenting DifficultiesBeen unable to prepare meals or keep normal

routines for your children? 0.681Taken your anger out on your children? 0.718Parented your children less consistently because of

marital difficulties? 0.751

Factor 3 Suicidal Ideation Wished you could die 0.812Thought about taking your own life 0.86

Effects Variables from Factor Analysis

Emotional Difficulties Felt your life was out of control Felt very nervous Felt so sad, blue, down in the dumps that

nothing could cheer you up Felt worn out or tired Avoided thinking about the difficulties in your

life

Effects Variables from Factor Analysis

Parenting Difficulties Been unable to prepare meals or keep normal

routines for your children Taken your anger out on your children Parented your children less consistently because of

marital difficulties

Suicidal Ideation Wished you could die Thought about taking your own life

Factor Analysis

Spiritual Effects

Led you to distrust God 0.629Took away time from your personal devotions 0.767Discouraged you from going to church 0.847Kept you from giving tithes or offerings 0.698Held you back from your Christian witness 0.847Decreased your church activities 0.857Led you to feel betrayed by the church &/or a pastor 0.659

Regression Variables

Recent IPV Sex Education Family Economics Religious Conservatism Church Attendance Severity of Childhood Punishment Ethnicity

Asian, Hispanic, African American, Caucasian

Regression Analysis: Emotional Difficulties(Only Significant Variables Shown)

Variable Regression Estimator B

Standard Error of B

Standardized Value of B

t-statistic

p of t

(Constant) 11.513 1.392 8.272 .000

Recent IPV 0.204 0.024 0.255 8.376 .000

Sex -0.797 0.293 -0.079 -2.718 .007

Family Economics

-1.01 0.124 -0.245 -8.113 .000

Religious Conservatism

0.626 0.225 0.09 2.786 .005

Severity of Childhood Punishment

0.401 0.14 0.085 2.863 .004

Asian -1.448 0.598 -0.07 -2.423 .016

Church Attendance

-1.15 0.249 -0.144 -4.61 .000

Variables Associated withEmotional Difficulties

Recent IPV Sex -- women Family Economics – more difficult Religious Conservatism – more liberal Severity of Childhood Punishment – greater Asian – less likely than other ethnic groups Church Attendance – less frequent attendance

Regression Analysis: Parenting Difficulties(Only Significant Variables Shown)

Variable Regression Estimator B

Standard Error of B

Standardized Value of B

t-statistic p of t

(Constant) 1.828 0.597 3.064 .002

Recent IPV 0.092 0.011 0.273 8.328 .000

Age -0.104 0.044 -0.079 -2.331 .020

Family economics

-0.282 0.055 -0.17 -5.174 .000

r2 = 0.160 Adjusted r2 = 0.149N = 1431

Variables Associated with Parenting Difficulties

Recent IPV Age – younger Family Economics – more difficult

Regression Analysis: Suicidal Ideation(Only Significant Variables Shown)

Variable Regression Estimator B

Standard Error of B

Standardized Value of B

t-statistic p of t

(Constant) 0.266 0.301 0.883 .377

Recent IPV 0.036 0.005 0.227 6.871 .000

Family economics

-0.071 0.027 -0.086 -2.606 .009

Severity of Childhood Punishment

0.064 0.03 0.068 2.117 .035

r2 = 0.087 Adjusted r2 = 0.075N = 1431

Variables Associated with Suicidal Ideation

Recent IPV Family Economics – more difficult Severity of Childhood Punishment--greater

Regression Analysis: Spiritual Effects(Only Significant Variables Shown)

Variable Regression Estimator B

Standard Error of B

Standardized Value of B

t-statistic p of t

(Constant) 6.981 1.541 4.529 .000

Recent IPV 0.394 0.027 0.437 14.707 .000

Education Level

0.344 0.138 0.071 2.487 .013

Family Economics

-0.647 0.138 -0.139 -4.692 .000

Religious Conservatism

0.916 0.246 0.116 3.716 .000

Asian -1.441 0.651 -0.063 -2.214 .027

Church Attendance

-1.006 0.283 -0.108 -3.559 .000

Variables Associated with Spiritual Effects

Recent IPV Education Level Family Economics – more difficult Religious Conservatism – more liberal Asian – less likely compared with other Church Attendance – less frequent

attendance

Conclusions

Types of Effects Associated with IPV in this Sample:

Emotional Difficulties Parenting Difficulties Suicidal Ideation

Conclusions

How are those effects differentially associated with demographic and social history variables?

Importance of IPV and family economics Religion variables, when significant, show

protective effect

Recommendations

Programs for women victims of intimate partner violence should target low-income families;

For conservative faith groups, the religious support remains an important coping tool – provide better services through the church/faith-based organizations;

Social workers should develop parenting programs targeting young couples;

Educational workshops on childhood violence/ childhood trauma can become a tool towards empowering women to explore and address their own past traumas.

Further Research Questions

More research needed to identify best ways in which to approach various ethnic groups – Asians seem to report lesser emotional and spiritual effects of abuse;

What aspects of spirituality can be used to empower women in faith communities in coping and addressing IPV in their lives?

International Family Violence and Child

Victimization Research Conference

Portsmouth, NH

The Effects of Intimate Partner Violence among Seventh-day Adventists

Rene’ DrummMarciana Popescu

Coauthor: Robert KirstingJuly 10, 2006