TY - JOUR
T1 - Linking childhood sexual abuse and abusive parenting
T2 - The mediating role of maternal anger
AU - Dilillo, David
AU - Tremblay, George C.
AU - Peterson, Lizette
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was sponsored by a grant to the third author from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Service Administration (MCJ-290635).
PY - 2000/6
Y1 - 2000/6
N2 - Objective: This study had two primary objectives: First, to examine the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and later parenting characteristics, particularly physical abuse potential, and second, to explore maternal anger as a mediator of the relationship between CSA and adult physical abuse potential. Method: Utilized a community sample of low SES participants that included 138 mothers classified as having experienced CSA, and a comparison group of 152 non-sexually abused mothers. Parenting variables examined included the mothers' physical abuse potential, nurturance toward their children, unrealistic developmental expectations of children, as well as frequencies of spanking and general punishment. Data was collected via interview and other self-report measures. Results: Even after controlling for mothers' childhood experience of physical abuse, CSA significantly predicted adult risk of physically abusing one's own children. Further, maternal anger was confirmed as a mediator of the relationship between having been sexually abused as a child and the potential for physically abusing one's own children. Conclusions: CSA may be a risk factor for subsequent physically abusive parenting, while anger appears to play a significant role in mediating this relationship. Findings are discussed in the context of current knowledge concerning the impact of child sexual abuse and the processes contributing to abusive parenting. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.
AB - Objective: This study had two primary objectives: First, to examine the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and later parenting characteristics, particularly physical abuse potential, and second, to explore maternal anger as a mediator of the relationship between CSA and adult physical abuse potential. Method: Utilized a community sample of low SES participants that included 138 mothers classified as having experienced CSA, and a comparison group of 152 non-sexually abused mothers. Parenting variables examined included the mothers' physical abuse potential, nurturance toward their children, unrealistic developmental expectations of children, as well as frequencies of spanking and general punishment. Data was collected via interview and other self-report measures. Results: Even after controlling for mothers' childhood experience of physical abuse, CSA significantly predicted adult risk of physically abusing one's own children. Further, maternal anger was confirmed as a mediator of the relationship between having been sexually abused as a child and the potential for physically abusing one's own children. Conclusions: CSA may be a risk factor for subsequent physically abusive parenting, while anger appears to play a significant role in mediating this relationship. Findings are discussed in the context of current knowledge concerning the impact of child sexual abuse and the processes contributing to abusive parenting. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.
KW - Anger
KW - Child sexual abuse
KW - Parenting
KW - Physical abuse
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U2 - 10.1016/S0145-2134(00)00138-1
DO - 10.1016/S0145-2134(00)00138-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 10888017
AN - SCOPUS:0034058724
SN - 0145-2134
VL - 24
SP - 767
EP - 779
JO - Child Abuse and Neglect
JF - Child Abuse and Neglect
IS - 6
ER -