Resource Theory and Family Violence: Exploring the Views and Opinions of Undergraduate Students from a Ghanaian University

Abstract

The resource theory posits that in human relationships, the individuals within that relationship who possess or have access to the most needed or desired resource tend to be the most powerful and influential. This study investigates the relationship between the resource theory and family violence. Here, family violence is defined as any act or actions among family members which is intended to cause pain or harm to an individual or individuals within that family set-up. The study sought to establish the respondents’ understanding of resource theory and family violence as well as their understanding of how resource theory can contribute to family violence. The study also sought to establish the respondents' experience with family violence and whether their experience can be traced to or associated with the resource theory. The study employed a descriptive research design involving ninety (90) randomly selected undergraduate students from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the University of Cape Coast Ghana. Data was collected using a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire with twenty-four (24) questions. Data was subsequently analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0, and the results were presented using inferential statistics. The analysis found that most respondents (62%) understood the concept of family violence. Additionally, most respondents (61%) understood the resource theory. Most students (49%) agreed that, in practice, the resource theory creates a power imbalance among family members, which may lead to violence or the use of force and aggression within the family unit. The results also established that (i) there is a statistically significant relationship between resource theory and power imbalance and (ii) there is a statistically significant relationship between resource-related power imbalance and family violence. The respondents agreed that the resource theory is a significant tool for explaining and understanding family violence. This study concluded that the relationship between the two is shaped by culture, socioeconomic status, and individual experiences. Therefore, the study emphasised the need for context-sensitive approaches and the intersection between the resource theory and other frameworks, such as the feminist and social learning theories, to understand and address family violence, highlighting the importance of reducing resource inequalities and power imbalances within households and family units.