Does child abuse and neglect increase risk for perpetration of violence inside and outside the home?

Abstract

Objective: To examine the extent to which abused and neglected children perpetrate three different types of violence within and outside the home: criminal, child abuse, and intimate partner violence and determine whether childhood maltreatment leads to an increased risk for poly-violence perpetration. Method: Using data from a prospective cohort design study, children (ages 0-11) with documented histories of physical and sexual abuse and/or neglect (n = 676) were matched with children without such histories (n = 520) and assessed in young adulthood (average age 29). Official criminal records in conjunction with self-report data were used to assess violent outcomes. Results: Compared to the control group, individuals with histories of child abuse and/or neglect were significantly more likely to be poly-violence perpetrators, perpetrating violence in all three domains (relative risk = 1.26). All forms of childhood maltreatment (physical and sexual abuse and neglect) significantly predicted poly-violence perpetration. Conclusions: These findings expand the cycle of violence literature by combining the distinct literatures on criminal violence, child abuse, and partner violence to call attention to the phenomenon of poly-violence perpetration by maltreated children. Future research should examine the characteristics of maltreated children who become poly-violence perpetrators and mechanisms that lead to these outcomes.

Domestic violence offending behaviors: A review of the literature examining childhood exposure, implicit theories, trait aggression and anger rumination as predictive factors

“…Among these factors, the exposure to DV during childhood has been one of the most prevalent predictors for DV perpetration (e.g. Capaldi et al, 2012;Carpenter & Stacks, 2009;Mbilinyi et al, 2012;Milaniak & Widom, 2015;Whitfield et al, 2003).…”

Effects of child abuse, adolescent violence, peer approval and pro‐violence attitudes on intimate partner violence in adulthood

“…The most likely to be arrested for these crimes were children who had been physically abused. In another study of the same dataset, Milaniak and Widom () found that maltreated children, as adults, were significantly more likely than matched controls to have an arrest for violence and also to perpetrate abuse against their own children.…”

“…In another study, Wekerle et al () reported a significant association between childhood emotional abuse and later dating violence perpetration among male youth involved with child protective services. Further, Milaniak and Widom () found that adults with documented histories of child maltreatment were more likely than their matched controls to perpetrate intimate partner violence (IPV) in their late 20s.…”

Early‐life risk for domestic violence perpetration: Implications for practice and policy

“…Milaniak and Widom () found that documented cases of childhood abuse and neglect at ages 0 to 11 years predicted “poly‐violence” perpetration (criminal violence, partner assault, and child abuse) in young adulthood.…”