Parenting Attitudes, Family Environments, Depression, and Anxiety in Caregivers of Maltreated Children

Mennen, Ferol E.; Trickett, Penelope K.

doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2011.00646.x

Cited by 21 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…Empathy with the child’s perspective can facilitate modifying negative attributions ascribed to the child, allowing a parent to integrate situation-specific information that could mitigate a child’s perceived culpability (Jones, 2006; Milner, 2000). The capacity to experience empathy for others inhibits aggression (Richardson, Hammock, Smith, Gardner, & Signo, 1994) and low empathy toward children has been observed in abusive mothers (Mennen & Trickett, 2011) as well as high-risk parents (Perez-Albeniz & De Paul, 2004). …”

Section: Theoretical Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multimethod prediction of physical parent–child aggression risk in expectant mothers and fathers with Social Information Processing theory

Rodriguez

Smith

Silvia

2016

Child Abuse & Neglect

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The Social Information Processing (SIP) model postulates that parents undergo a series of stages in implementing physical discipline that can escalate into physical child abuse. The current study utilized a multimethod approach to investigate whether SIP factors can predict risk of parent-child aggression (PCA) in a diverse sample of expectant mothers and fathers. SIP factors of PCA attitudes, negative child attributions, reactivity, and empathy were considered as potential predictors of PCA risk; additionally, analyses considered whether personal history of PCA predicted participants’ own PCA risk through its influence on their attitudes and attributions. Findings indicate that, for both mothers and fathers, history influenced attitudes but not attributions in predicting PCA risk, and attitudes and attributions predicted PCA risk; empathy and reactivity predicted negative child attributions for expectant mothers, but only reactivity significantly predicted attributions for expectant fathers. Path models for expectant mothers and fathers were remarkably similar. Overall, the findings provide support for major aspects of the SIP model. Continued work is needed in studying the progression of these factors across time for both mothers and fathers as well as the inclusion of other relevant ecological factors to the SIP model.

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Section: Theoretical Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multimethod prediction of physical parent–child aggression risk in expectant mothers and fathers with Social Information Processing theory

Rodriguez

Smith

Silvia

2016

Child Abuse & Neglect

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In terms of preexisting positive affect states, empathy can reduce aggression (Richardson et al 1994). Low empathy has been observed in abusive mothers (Mennen and Trickett 2011) and high-risk parents (Perez-Albeniz and de Paul 2004), and has been associated with increased child abuse potential in low and at-risk samples (Rodriguez 2013; McElroy and Rodriguez 2008). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parent–Child Aggression Risk in Expectant Mothers and Fathers: A Multimethod Theoretical Approach

2016

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The current investigation evaluated whether cognitive processes characteristic of the Social Information Processing model predicted parent-child aggression (PCA) risk independent of personal vulnerabilities and resiliencies. This study utilized a multimethod approach, including analog tasks, with a diverse sample of 203 primiparous expectant mothers and 151 of their partners. Factors considered in this study included PCA approval attitudes, empathy, reactivity, negative child attributions, compliance expectations, and knowledge of non-physical discipline alternatives; additionally, vulnerabilities included psychopathology symptoms, domestic violence victimization, and substance use, whereas resiliencies included perceived social support, partner relationship satisfaction, and coping efficacy. For both mothers and fathers, findings supported the role of greater approval of PCA attitudes, lower empathy, more overreactivity, more negative attributions, and higher compliance expectations in relation to elevated risk of PCA. Moreover, personal vulnerabilities and resiliencies related to PCA risk for mothers; however, fathers and mothers differed on the nature of these relationships with respect to vulnerabilities as well as aspects of empathy and PCA approval attitudes. Findings provide evidence for commonalities in many of the factors investigated between mothers and fathers with some notable distinctions. Results are discussed in terms of how findings could inform prevention programs.

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“…With robust effect sizes reported between depression and child abuse and neglect (Stith et al, 2009), increases in depression also predict subsequent increases in psychological aggression toward children among mothers already involved with child welfare (Conron et al, 2009). Higher levels of depression have also been observed in mothers of maltreated children relative to a matched sample of mothers (Mennen & Trickett, 2011). Consequently, depression has been a consistent predictor of child abuse and neglect predating the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Parental Social Isolation and Child Maltreatment Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lee¹,

Ward²,

Lee³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: On March 11, 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The social isolation and economic stress resulting from pandemic have the potential to exacerbate child abuse and neglect. Objective: This study examines the association of parents’ perceived social isolation and recent employment loss to risk for child maltreatment (neglect, verbal aggression, and physical punishment) in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants and Setting: Participants (N = 283) were adults living in the U.S. who were parents of at least one child 0-12 years of age. Methods: Participants completed an online survey approximately 2 weeks after the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 was a pandemic. The survey asked about recent changes (i.e., in the past 2 weeks) to employment status, parenting behaviors, use of discipline, use of spanking, and depressive symptoms. Results: Parents’ perceived social isolation and recent employment loss were associated with self-report of physical and emotional neglect and verbal aggression against the child, even after statistically controlling for parental depressive symptoms, income, and sociodemographic factors. Parents’ perceived social isolation was associated with parental report of changes in discipline, specifically, using discipline and spanking more often in the past 2 weeks. Associations were robust to analyses that included two variables that assessed days spent social distancing and days spent in “lockdown.” Conclusions: Study results point to the need for mental health supports to parents and children to ameliorate the strain created by COVID-19.

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Parenting Attitudes, Family Environments, Depression, and Anxiety in Caregivers of Maltreated Children

Cited by 21 publications

References 68 publications

Multimethod prediction of physical parent–child aggression risk in expectant mothers and fathers with Social Information Processing theory

Multimethod prediction of physical parent–child aggression risk in expectant mothers and fathers with Social Information Processing theory

Parent–Child Aggression Risk in Expectant Mothers and Fathers: A Multimethod Theoretical Approach

Parental Social Isolation and Child Maltreatment Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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