Informal Control by Family and Risk Markers for Alcohol Abuse/Dependence in Seoul

Abstract

Although previous research documents a reliable relationship between physical intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and alcoholism, relatively little research has examined new theoretical constructs in IPV research that may increase risk for or help buffer women from alcohol abuse/dependence. The purpose of the present study was to examine informal social control of IPV by family members as a protective factor against and coercive control as a risk factor for alcohol abuse/dependence in a small population sample of married women in Seoul, South Korea. We hypothesized that (a) informal social control by family members would be negatively associated with victim alcohol abuse/dependence and (b) husband's coercive control would be positively associated with victim alcohol abuse/dependence. We measured alcohol abuse/dependence (CAGE scale), IPV and coercive control by husbands, and informal social control of IPV (ISC_IPV) by extended family members in a three-stage random cluster sample of 462 married women in Seoul, South Korea. Both random effects regression and zero-inflated Poisson regression models found that ISC_IPV by extended family members was associated with a significantly lower CAGE scores, and coercive control was associated with significantly higher CAGE scores. Interventions to boost ISC_IPV by extended family members may mitigate some of the risk of alcohol abuse/dependence by victims.

Legitimacy, incipience, and perception of informal social control of intimate partner violence: Experiment on a Korean parent sample

“…Research consistently suggests that one type of ISC (the protective type) is associated with less IPV and other forms of family violence (Emery et al, 2015b(Emery et al, , 2015b(Emery et al, , 2019 whilst punitive ISC is either not associated or even positively associated with IPV. Taken together, the foregoing research suggests that proceeding from a rational deterrence assumption that bystander interventions will have the expected effects on violent perpetrators could result in more severe harm to both victims and perpetrators (cf.…”

“…However, Emery et al's (2017a) manipulated perception was with regard to a next‐door‐neighbor who might or might not be truly present; incipience was assumed rather than systematically conceptualized and included. Moreover, previous research suggests that perceived ISC is associated with more victim injury (Emery et al, 2015a) when observed ISC is controlled but protective ISC is associated with less severe IPV (Emery et al, 2017b, 2019). What then, should be the main effect of manipulating perceived protective ISC by a bystander?…”

“…Protective ISC is constituted in acts primarily aimed at protecting the victim (like getting in between the perpetrator and victim and trying to calm the perpetrator down by talking), whilst punitive ISC consists in acts aimed at punishing the perpetrator (e.g., yelling, threatening, and calling the police). Research consistently suggests that one type of ISC (the protective type) is associated with less IPV and other forms of family violence (Emery et al, 2015b, 2015b, 2019) whilst punitive ISC is either not associated or even positively associated with IPV. Taken together, the foregoing research suggests that proceeding from a rational deterrence assumption that bystander interventions will have the expected effects on violent perpetrators could result in more severe harm to both victims and perpetrators ( cf .…”

A Comparative Study of Totalitarian Style Partner Control in Seoul and Beijing: Confucian Sex Role Norms, Secrecy, and Missing Data

“…The data come from statistically random probability proportional to size cluster samples of partnered women in Beijing (Emery, Wu, Kim, Pyun, & Chin, 2017) and Seoul (Emery et al, 2019). Data were obtained from 506 couples in 50 Beijing neighborhoods and 541 couples in 34 Seoul neighborhoods.…”

A Systematic Review on the Effects of PTSD Associated Alcohol Abuse on Social Economic Status among Youth in Kenya

“…In South Korea, Emery et al (2016) PSTD related and non-PTSD related alcohol abuse pushed families to put in place mechanisms aimed at controlling physical intimate partner violence (IPV). Random effects regression and zero-inflated Poisson Regression models show that family members' interventions checked the negative effects of such alcohol abuse such as wastage of family resources.…”