Citation

Brownridge DA, Halli SS. J. Fam. Violence 1999; 14(4): 333-350.

Affiliation

Department of Family Studies, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3T 2N2; Department of Sociology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3T 2N2

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1023/A:1022897130702

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present study argues for a standard conceptualization of prevalence and incidence in family violence research. Reviewing several definitions of both prevalence and incidence in the family violence literature, we identify important inconsistencies in conceptualizations. The use of time frame to distinguish incidence and prevalence seems to have been a main thrust of the conceptual confusion. A gold standard conceptualization is proposed that sees prevalence as the extent to which violent behavior is distributed in the population and incidence as the amount of violent behavior that occurs among those in the population who experience violence. A discussion of rates calculated with other conceptualizations illustrates the need for standardization as well as the utility of the conceptualization in the present study. The calculation of prevalence and incidence rates is exemplified with respect to interpartner violence using Statistics Canada's Violence Against Women Survey (VAWS). Using duration as an independent variable, we also illustrate how the choice of incidence or prevalence rates may affect the operation of risk markers. Given the need for standardization, the relative ease with which this can be accomplished, and the knowledge that research in this area will be conducted well into the future, we conclude with a plea for a standard use of prevalence and incidence among family violence scholars.
prevalence - incidence - measurement - time frame - duration.