Child-to-Parent Violence Specialist and Generalist Perpetrators: Risk Profile and Gender Differences

Abstract

Like other forms of domestic violence, child-to-parent violence (CPV) is a social and health-related problem. The identification of risk factors has preventive and therapeutic implications. This paper analyzes the risk profiles and gender differences of 206 CPV cases between 12 and 28 years of age (58% males) from clinical and judicial contexts in Spain, assessed using the Child to Parent Violence Risk (CPVR) Assessment tool. Two profiles were compared according to the extent of their violence: those using only CPV (specialist, 64.1%) and those also using other types of violence (generalist, 35.9%), as coded by professionals working with the cases. Generalist perpetrators had a significantly higher prevalence in terms of the bidirectionality of the violence (being victims at home), bullying victimization, empathy problems, anger management issues, attitudes justifying violence, antisocial behavior, failure of previous interventions, violence between parents, cohabitation problems other than CPV, problematic education style, and inversion of the hierarchy. Females were less likely to be generalists, and, in the case of female specialists, violence from parents and issues in the family context may have been among the main explanations for their violence. The results suggest differences between groups, which is consistent with previous research, but also the need for more accurate typological classification methods.

Child to Parent Violence: Gender Differences, Characteristics, and Prevalence

“…This study found that those placed into the generalist category were more likely to be victims of abuse in the home as well as abusers, and were more likely to display an array of problematic behaviours both inside and outside of the home (Loinaz et al, 2023). This study also delved deeper into the contrasts between specialists and generalists, finding that female perpetrators of CPV were less likely to be generalists compared to males (Loinaz et al, 2023). The study also concluded that violence in the home between or from parents could contribute to the issue of female specialists (Loinaz et al, 2023).…”

“…In a separate study, Loinaz et al, used a sample of 206 reported cases of CPV from children between the ages of twelve and eighteen to look at the risk factors and gender differences prevalent in child-to-parent violence using the Child to Parent Violence Risk Assessment Tool. This study also separated the perpetrators of CPV into a specialist group and a generalist group, much like the study reviewed previously (Loinaz et al, 2023). This study found that those placed into the generalist category were more likely to be victims of abuse in the home as well as abusers, and were more likely to display an array of problematic behaviours both inside and outside of the home (Loinaz et al, 2023).…”

“…This study also delved deeper into the contrasts between specialists and generalists, finding that female perpetrators of CPV were less likely to be generalists compared to males (Loinaz et al, 2023). The study also concluded that violence in the home between or from parents could contribute to the issue of female specialists (Loinaz et al, 2023).…”

“…This study also separated the perpetrators of CPV into a specialist group and a generalist group, much like the study reviewed previously (Loinaz et al, 2023). This study found that those placed into the generalist category were more likely to be victims of abuse in the home as well as abusers, and were more likely to display an array of problematic behaviours both inside and outside of the home (Loinaz et al, 2023). This study also delved deeper into the contrasts between specialists and generalists, finding that female perpetrators of CPV were less likely to be generalists compared to males (Loinaz et al, 2023).…”

Predicting the Risk of Re-Offending in Child-to-Parent Violence Using the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth

“…Studies may focus on young people drawn from the general population, clinical samples, or young people who have been reported for CPV (as in the case of this work). Another relevant factor is the type of violence perpetrated by young people towards their parents (psychological, physical, financial, or a combination of several) [37,38]. In order to identify and study the group of young people who carry out CPV behaviours, specific instruments have been developed for this group [39], notably: Abusive Behaviour by Children-Indices (ABC-I), Adolescent Domestic Battery Typology, Child-to-Parent Aggression Questionnaire (CPAQ), Child-to-Parent Violence Questionnaire (CPV-Q), Child-to-Parent Violence Risk Assessment Tool (CPVR), and Child-to-Parent Violence Functions Scale (CPV-F) [31,38,[40][41][42][43][44].…”