Journal Article

The Social Ecology of Adolescent-Initiated Parent Abuse: A Review of the Literature

Hong, Jun Sung, Espelage, Dorothy L., Allen-Meares, Paula, Kral, Michael J.

2012

Overview

This article provides an ecological framework for understanding adolescent-initiated parent abuse. We review research on adolescent-initiated parent abuse, identifying sociodemographic characteristics of perpetrators and victims (e.g., gender, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status [SES]). Bronfenbrenner’s [ 1 ] ecological systems theory is applied, which examines the risk and protective factors for adolescent-initiated parent abuse within micro - (maltreatment, domestic violence, parenting behavior and disciplinary strategies), meso - (peer influence), exo - (media influence), macro - (gender role socialization), and chrono system (change in family structure) levels. Findings from our review suggest that older and White children are significantly more likely to abuse their parents. Females are selective in the target of their aggression, while males target family members in general. Mothers are significantly more likely to be abused than fathers. However, researchers also report variations in the association between SES and parent abuse. Domestic violence and child maltreatment are risk factors, while findings on parenting behavior and disciplinary strategies are mixed. Peer influence, exposure to media violence, gender role socialization, and change in family structure can potentially increase the risk of parent abuse. Practice and research implications are also discussed. An ecological systems framework allows for an examination of how various contexts interact and influence parent abuse behavior, and can provide needed directions for further research.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Abuse / Abused children / Adolescent / Adolescents / Adult / Age Factors / Aggression / Aggression - psychology / Aggressiveness / Antisocial Behavior / Behavior / Behavioral Science and Psychology / Bibliographic Databases / Biological and medical sciences / Change agents / Child & adolescent psychiatry / Child Abuse / Child abuse & neglect / Child and School Psychology / Child Behavior / Child Rearing / Childrearing Practices / Children / Continental Population Groups / Delinquency Prevention / Departments / Domestic violence / Domestic Violence - psychology / Domestic Violence - statistics & numerical data / Ecological Factors / Ecology / Educational Psychology / Environmental Factors / Ethnicity / Families & family life / Family environment. Family history / Family roles / Family Structure / Family Violence / Fathers / Female / Gender / Gender Differences / Gender roles / Human ecology / Humans / Influence / Juvenile Justice / Literature Reviews / Male / Mass media effects / Media violence / Medical sciences / Methods Research / Mothers / Parent Child Relationship / Parent-Child Relations / Parenting - psychology / Parenting Skills / Parents / Parents & parenting / Peer Group / Peer Influence / Peer relationships / Peers / Protective factors / Psychiatry / Psychology / Psychology, Adolescent / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychopathology. Psychiatry / Race / Relatives / Resistance (Psychology) / Review Paper / Risk / Risk Factors / Selection Criteria / Sex Factors / Sex Role / Social Environment / Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry / Socialization / Sociodemographics / Socioeconomic Factors / Socioeconomic Status / Systems Approach / Systems theory / Victimology / Victims of Crime / Violence