Family Disruption, Violent Victimization and Protest Masculinity

Abstract

Americans show great concern over the likely harmful effects of father-absent families on children, especially when families are black. Little or no concern is shown over step-families although these are expected to be the predominant family form by the year 2000. Our study finds the emphasis on female-based black households to be misplaced when violent victimization is the harm of interest. Data for 1973, 1976, 1980 and 1984 from national samples of Americans indicate that persons reared in both father-absent and step-father families were more likely to be victims of violence (being punched or beaten) than persons reared by both natural parents. The relationship was stronger for step-father families. Also, the only significant interaction between race and family structure (family type, family composition) showed a stronger relationship between family structure and violent victimization among whites. In addition, adverse effects of family structure occurred when family disruption was due to divorce or separation but not to death of the father. The emphasis in protest masculinity theory on involvement in violence as an expression of exaggerated masculinity is inconsistent with the finding of no relationship when the father is dead and the relatively strong relationship when a step-father is present.