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Violence in Police Families: Work-Family Spillover

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Abstract

This article uses a path model to examine the relationship between violence exposure and domestic violence among police officers with the expectation that the relationships would be both direct and mediated. The mediation factors included burnout, authoritarian spillover, alcohol use, and department withdrawal. The model was tested through an analysis of data collected from 413 officers. Four mediation chains were identified; the most powerful of these was burnout and authoritarian spillover. Suggestions for future research include understanding violence in the context of unique workplace cultures, classifying violence types, and clarifying how this population defines violence and control.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family and Human Development, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

    Leanor Boulin Johnson

  2. Prevention Research Center/PIRE, Berkeley, California

    Michael Todd

  3. Deloitte Consulting, Sacramento, California

    Ganga Subramanian

  4. Family and Human Development, Arizona State University, Main Campus, P.O. Box 872502, Tempe, AZ, 85287-2502

    Leanor Boulin Johnson

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  1. Leanor Boulin Johnson
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  2. Michael Todd
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  3. Ganga Subramanian
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Correspondence to Leanor Boulin Johnson.

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Johnson, L.B., Todd, M. & Subramanian, G. Violence in Police Families: Work-Family Spillover. J Fam Viol 20, 3–12 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-005-1504-4

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