International Scholarship tolerance for the expression of conflict, based on cultural norms, which in turn can lead to the use zyxwvutsr of diverse strategies for management of family conflict. Contextual factors particular to another culture may or may not reflect the domestic violence mechanisms identified by Western researchers. zyxwvut Factors Associated with Domestic zy Zahr, RN, DNSc, Nancy L. R. Anderson, RN, PhD, and William Fulco, SJ, PhD, for consultation; anonymous reviewers for comments on an earlier draft of this paper; and Sandra Wilson, research assistant. Correspondence to Dr. Keenan UCLASchool of Nursing, 700Tiverton Avenue, Box 95691 9, Los Angeles, CA 90095-691 9. E-mail: ckeenan@sonnet.ucla.edu Accepted for publication April zyxwv 3, 1997. Violence in Low-Income Lebanese Families Colleen K. Keenan, Ayam El-Hadad, Sossy A. Balian Purpose: zyxwvutsr To analyze the cultural context of domestic violence in low-income Moslem and Christian-Armenian families living in Lebanon. Analysis also included an identification of family stressors, conflict management strategies, and Moslem and Christian-Armeniancultural differences. The study was part of a larger project designed to identify patterns of wife and child abuse in low-income Middle Eastern families living in Lebanon and Egypt. zyx Design: Qualitative content analysis of descriptive narratives by 60 low-income women who self-reported spouse abuse in two urban Lebanese clinics during a 2-month period in 7 992. Methods: Narratives describing exemplary incidents were obtained during a semi-structured interview and recorded in the participant’s native language then translated to English for coding and content analysis. Findings: Contextual factors for violence included unmet gender role expectations, conflict with husband’s relatives, and alcohol abuse. Family stressors were: emotional, financial, and work. Women used three types of conflict management: negotiation, taking initiative, and passive resignation. Conclusion: From a cultural perspective, the analysis revealed both strengths and vulnerabilities of Lebanese women who experienced domestic violence. The study raised several questions, including whether it is appropriate to apply Western-generateddomestic violence theories to a Middle Eastern population. Culturally-specific nursing interventions should be directed toward bolstering strong family and social resources to cope with family stressors and to modify patterns of maladaptive communication. IMAGE: JOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, 1998; 30:4,357-362.01998 SIGMA THETA TAU INTERNATIONAL. (Key words: abuse; conflict management; family process] * * * oncern about family violence is national and international in scope. In the United States and other Western countries, domestic violence has been shown to have serious emotional sequelae and potential health consequences for all involved family members. Western scholars in several behavioral and health care disciplines including nursing have studied domestic violence intensively and have generated several theories to describe, explain, and predict the costly emotional and physical outcomes associated with this social problem (Campbell, 1995;Walker, 1979).More recently researchers in other countries (Choi & Edelson, 1996) have begun to investigate the many Domestic Violence Violent physical domestic abuse occurs worldwide and is not limited to any particular culture, socioeconomic class, geographic area, or historical period. In general, domestic violence occurs within the context of cohabiting adults or family groups and includes physical abuse of spouses (or partners), children, and parents. Domestic violence often occurs as the result of role stressors within the family and frequently is associated with poor communication patterns (Choice, Lamke, & Pittman, 1995; Cordova, Jacobson, Gottman, Rushe & Cox, 1993). Cultural and gender role norms may also influence the Volume 30, Number 4, Fourth Quarter 1998 Image: Journal zyxwvuts of Nursing Scholarship - 351