The Joint Contribution of Experiencing and Witnessing Violence During Childhood on Child Abuse in the Parent Role

Abstract

This article examines adult respondents' abuse of children as a consequence of their own childhood experiences of abuse, both direct experiences of childhood violence (hitting) and exposure to interparental violence (witnessing). In particular, the study examines the extent to which these factors function interactively: Are both experience and exposure necessary or is either sufficient to increase disproportionately the probability of child abuse? Using data from the Second National Family Violence Survey, results of a logistic regression analysis show that either or both factors produced higher than average and relatively similar rates of child abuse. Only respondents with neither form of family violence reported lower than average rates of abuse of their own children. The analysis controlled for gender, race, family income, and family structure; race was the only control variable to be significantly associated with child abuse. Finally, no control variable modified the interaction between the family violence variables.

A holistic examination of the impact of child maltreatment on child behavioral outcomes : a longitudinal multilevel analysis.

“…Having a personal history of maltreatment as a child has also been shown to be a risk factor for child maltreatment (Zuravin, McMillen, DePanfilis, & RisleyCurtiss, 1996;Cunningham, 2003;Goldman, Salus, Wolcott, & Kennedy, 2003;Narang & Contreras, 2005;Francis & Wolfe, 2008). Goldman and colleagues (2003), in a review of the literature, note that approximately one-third of caregivers who were victims of child maltreatment perpetuate the cycle of maltreatment on their own children.…”

“…While history of maltreatment is examined here as a parental risk factor, note that it may also be considered a consequence or outcome of child maltreatment. Cunningham (2003) reported that caregivers who were hit when they were teens were 1.92 times more likely to admit to physically abusing their own children. When examining fathers, in particular, researchers found that physically abusive fathers were more likely to have experienced maltreatment as a child when compared to non-maltreating fathers (Francis & Wolfe, 2008).…”

“…Thus, a discussion examining these caregivers is necessary. Several researchers note that there are additional factors that must be considered in addition to history of maltreatment (Zuravin, et aI., 1996;Cunningham, 2003;Narang & Contreras, 2005). While there is a moderate correlation (0.34) between physical abuse history and the potential to physically abuse a child, as measured by the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP), other factors, such as the level of dissociation and the level of family support, must be considered (Narang & Contreras, 2005).…”

“…When interparental violence occurred in the home and was witnessed by the caregivers, caregivers who were hit as teens were just as likely to maltreat their children as those who were not hit as teens (Cunningham, 2003).…”

“…There were also some methodological concerns raised with the Cunningham (2003) study, in particular. In this study, both child maltreatment and interparental violence were measured using the Conflicts Tactics Scale (CTS) and therefore, do not include only substantiated cases of maltreatment.…”