ⅢIn an attempt to identify factors that could contribute to intergenerational physical abuse, the specific childhood disciplinary experiences of adolescents and young adults were assessed, and these childhood experiences were related to the subjects' assessment as to whether specific disciplinary tactics were abusive or appropriate in child rearing. Consistent with previous research, few maltreated persons viewed their own experiences as abusive. Moreover, personal experience with a disciplinary event was associated with a decreased tendency to view that particular form of discipline as inappropriate. Finally, a history of severe physical punishment, failure to acknowledge an abusive history when it had occurred, and adult attitudes regarding physical discipline were associated with selecting more punitive disciplinary strategies when individuals were faced with child misbehavior in an analog parenting task.
According to recent estimates, childhood abuse victims are at 12 times higher risk for child abuse perpetration than those without such abusive histories. This study focused on delineation of the mechanisms by which intergenerational patterns of abuse may occur and, in particular, the role that disciplinary attitudes may play in mediating the relation between disciplinary history and risk for abusive parenting. Participants (n = 459) completed a series of questionnaires to assess childhood history, disciplinary attitudes, and disciplinary practices. Structural equation modeling indicated that the association between disciplinary history and disciplinary responses was partially mediated by attitudes, with more than half of the association between history and responses accounted for by attitudes. These findings support the need for interventions to focus on attitudinal change when attempting to reduce risk for perpetration among those with histories of abuse.
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