Hypothesizes that traumatization underlies the difficulties many children experience from witnessing their parents' marital violence/spousal abuse, and argues that intervention should be designed to counteract post-traumatic disorders. A case study highlights this discussion. (BB)

For 471 adult children of persons in a longitudinal study of marital instability, the long-term consequences of parental divorce depended upon level of parental conflict prior to separation. Adult offspring who had experienced high levels of parental conflict followed by divorce had levels of psychological and marital well-being as high as…

Individuals from substance-abusing family environments have been found to suffer from low self-esteem, depression, anger, and a variety of acting-out behaviors. An investigation of the differences between incarcerated juveniles from substance-abusing families and those from non-substance-abusing families indicates significant differences in family…

Partner abuse among 21-year olds was compared between cohabitors and daters. Individual, relationship, and social control factors were studied. Cohabitors were more abusive than daters. Factors that differentiate cohabitors from daters were identified, and models were tested for prediction of abuse. Findings are discussed in terms of age and…

This cross-sectional study examined risk and asset factors thought to be associated with fighting among a sample of 1,642 African American children and adolescents in a central Alabama school district. Results show that poor grades, parental abuse, and gang affiliation were significant risk factors associated with higher frequency of fighting.…

This article examines men's use of physical punishment when interacting with their sons or grandsons in rural Vietnam. By drawing on two periods of anthropological fieldwork in a northern Vietnamese commune, the article analyses the ways in which violence is informed by, while also perpetually reinforcing, a masculine discourse. Vietnam has…

As any parent knows, anger towards children is a natural occurrence of parenting. Since it is important to identify and address some of the emotional issues that underlie child abuse, the role of anger in parenting and in child maltreatment is covered in this paper. An ecological analysis of parental anger is presented, with special emphasis on…

Discusses the Shelter Parenting Program at the Battered Women Shelter in New Castle County, Delaware. This shelter-based program attempts to break the intergenerational cycle of family violence by combining an instructional group format on parenting skills with a series of individual and/or family sessions that apply these skills. Two case…

Violence in the family is being increasingly identified as a societal problem that has multiple short- and long-term effects on children. This book focuses on the relationship between different types of family violence and the resulting impact of violence on the child. Chapter One discusses the definition, history, and societal costs of family…

Explored ability of parenting stress to predict maternal behaviors among low-income women, about half of whom were residing in a battered women's shelter. Assessed parenting stress, maternal adjustment, marital relationship, and responses to typical child behaviors. Found that parenting stress predicts use of positive behaviors like affection and…

Assesses the long-term effects of parental physical abuse, verbal abuse, and emotional neglect in a sample of 247 female and 154 male college students. Results suggest that parental physical abuse and verbal abuse predicted current anger and that emotional neglect predicted loneliness and social isolation. Paternal maltreatment predicted negative…

Abuse is an environmental factor influencing some children's emergent metacognitive processes and perceptions. Because abused children most often remain in regular classrooms, they rely on teachers' ability to apply interventions responsive to their needs. This is accomplished by combining knowledge of educational best practices with knowledge…

Studied large national sample of U.S. adults, finding that almost one-half recalled having been corporally punished during adolescence. Data analysis revealed that children who experienced corporal punishment in adolescence had increased risk later in life of depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, alcohol abuse, physical abuse of children, and…

Four aspects of violence in the lives of U.S. children are of great concern today: children are involved in violence at every level, there are no safe harbors for many children, family violence is frequent, and society accepts violence as part of its culture. (SM)

Professionals in schools are a major source of child maltreatment reports nationally. Review of literature indicates these professionals contribute only a small amount of school-based research data to the understanding of consequences of child physical abuse and neglect or maltreatment of child victims. Presents strategic multisystems approach for…