ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the research on violence and aggression in family relationships. It examines definitions of various terms and concepts regarding aggression and violence in addition to the prevalence rates of different types of aggression. Various common theoretical perspectives explaining the occurrence and effects of aggression are examined, including sociocultural, feminist, social learning, interactional, traumatic bonding, social skills deficits, ecological, and typological models. Areas that have been understudied (e.g., elder abuse, cyber-aggression, cultural differences), the effects of family-based aggression, and approaches to prevention and intervention are examined.
