The National Family Violence Survey of 1985 is the second of four related studies conducted between 1975 and 1987, aimed at understanding intra-family violence in the United States of America. In 1975-1976, the first cross-sectional National Family Violence Survey was conducted with over 2,000 families. In 1985, a second survey was conducted with a representative national sample of approximately 6,000 families, including married or cohabiting couples, an adult who had been divorced or separated within two years of recruitment, or a single parent living with a child under the age of 18. In 1986 and 1987, two waves called the Panel Study of Deterrence were conducted with a sub-sample of the National Family Violence Survey 1985, aiming to understand the deterrence of spouse abuse. The two waves of the Panel Study of Deterrence included all participants who reported a violent incident in 1985 and a random sample of non-violent cases, comprising over 1,000 families.