Journal Article

Parents’ Potential for Child Abuse: An Intergenerational Perspective

Finzi-Dottan, Ricky, Harel, Galit

2014

Overview

This study examined predictors for parents’ potential for abusing their children. Two hundred and thirteen Jewish and Arab parents of children up to 6 years of age completed six questionnaires assessing child-abuse potential, childhood history of abuse/neglect, attachment style, emotional control, perceived stress, and cognitive appraisal of parenthood. Results indicated that parents who experienced childhood abuse and neglect scored significantly higher in child-abuse potential than parents without a history of abuse or neglect. A Structural Equation Model indicated that anxious and avoidant attachment mediated the experiences of abuse and neglect in childhood and emotional control; whereas emotional control deficits mediated the relationship between insecure attachment and parenthood as challenge vs. threat, leading to greater child-abuse potential. Clinical implications were discussed.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Abusive parents / Attachment / Attachment behavior / Attachment style / Avoidance behavior / Child Abuse / Child abuse & neglect / Childhood / Children / Clinical Psychology / Cognitive appraisal / Criminology and Criminal Justice / Domestic violence / Emotional Abuse / Emotions / Israel / Jews / Law and Psychology / Locus of Control / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Methods / Parent-child relations / Parenthood / Parenting / Parents / Parents & parenting / Perceived control / Psychological aspects / Psychotherapy and Counseling / Quality of Life Research / Risk factors / Risk Factors for Perpetrators of Child Maltreatment and Abuse / Structural equation modeling / Threat / Victims of violence