Addressing only one without the other is unlikely to prove successful. For this, Substance abuse could be a contributing factor to Family Violence but is not complete as far as having the capacity to be the main cause for Family Violence. .
The Social Learning Theory states that people learn behavior by observation and imitation. Papalia, et al. states that imitation is the most prominent way to teach a child anything. Imitation can be seen in their development of language, moral decision- making as well as aggression. Based on my research of Operant Conditioning, which is sometimes referred to as instrumental conditioning, I found that it is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior. For example, when a lab rat presses a blue button, he receives a food pellet as a reward, but when he presses the red button he receives a mild electric shock. As a result, he learns to press the blue button but avoid the red button. Likewise, parents often use this method of teaching when raising a child. Social Learning Theory suggests observing behavior in role models as well as operant conditioning would enable a child to become aggressive to other family members as adult. It is also proposed that, while growing up, children receive feedback from others regarding their own behaviors, from which they begin to develop standards and it is very likely that they will become aggressive as a result of the abuse and repeat those same behaviors in their adult life. .
It has also been found men who observed their fathers abusing their mothers when they were children are at an even higher risk for abusing their wives. In addition to this, researchers have found that young adults who may have borne witness or even experienced abuse themselves as children are more prone to be in an abusive relationship as either the abuser or the victim.