Wife abuse prevention: Effects of information on attitudes of high school boys

Abstract

Six classes of students attending private parochial high schools were matched according to geographic and grade level variables and were randomly assigned as intact groups to view either a film concerning wife abuse or a neutral control film. The experimental film had no significant impact on attitude ratings given for the two most common student-generated situations of abuse: the intoxicated husband and the unfaithful wife. Correlational assessments between demographic variables and attitude ratings revealed that greater suspicion of abuse was associated with higher justifiability ratings for the intoxicated husband situation. Estimations of higher frequencies of spouse abuse were associated with higher justifiability ratings for the unfaithful wife situation. Results are discussed in light of current wife abuse education programs and prevention strategies.