• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
• /
• no.36
• /
• pp.151-173
• /
• 2008

This study examined how socio-demographic and background characteristics, acculturation, and gender role attitudes influence Korean American male adults' beliefs about wife beating. Using a structured self-administered questionnaire, data was collected from 201 Korean American men between the ages of 20 and 64, married for at least two years, currently living with a wife, and residing in Los Angeles County. Of the 201, 196 completed questionnaires were used to analyze the data. The respondents' beliefs about wife beating were measured by the Inventory of Beliefs About Wife Beating(IBWB) Short Form, consisting of 11 items. The multiple regression analyses revealed that age and traditional gender role attitudes were significantly associated with the respondents' beliefs about wife beating, but no significant associations between witnessed parental abuse and acculturation and beliefs about wife beating were found. Implications of the findings for mental health programs and future research are discussed.