Parent-child Aggression Research Articles

Social Information Processing Theory Indicators of Child Abuse Risk: Cultural Comparison of Mothers from Peru and the United States

Much of the research conducted on social information processing (SIP) factors predictive of child abuse risk has been conducted in North America, raising questions about how applicable such models may be in other cultures. Based on the premise that the parents' child abuse risk is affected by both risk and protective factors, the current study considered how specific SIP socio-cognitive risk factors (acceptability of parent-child aggression as a discipline approach; empathic ability; frustration tolerance) as well as social support satisfaction as a resource related to child abuse risk by comparing a sample of mothers in Peru (n = 102) with a sample of mothers in the U.S. (n = 180). Using multi-group regression analyses, the current investigation identified that lower empathy was more salient for the abuse risk of U.S. mothers relative to the salience of lower frustration tolerance for Peruvian mothers. Although effects were observed for the approval of parent-aggression for the child abuse risk of both samples, such approval did not appear to be related to the Peruvian mothers' actual use of such tactics. When considered alongside the socio-cognitive risk factors, greater social support satisfaction did not significantly relate to child abuse risk for either sample. The findings are discussed in reference to future cross-cultural work that may need to better examine how factors may or may not be universal to craft more culturally informed child abuse prevention programs.

Applying Socio-Emotional Information Processing theory to explain child abuse risk: Emerging patterns from the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic exerted profound effects on parents, which may translate into elevated child abuse risk. Prior literature demonstrates that Social Information Processing theory is a useful framework for understanding the cognitive processes that can contribute to parental abuse risk, but the model has not adequately integrated affective processes that may coincide with such cognitions. ObjectiveGiven parents experienced intense emotions during the pandemic, the current study sought to examine how socio-emotional processes might account for abuse risk during the pandemic (perceived pandemic-related increases in harsh parenting, reported physical and psychological aggression, and child abuse potential). Participants and methodsUsing two groups of mothers participating in online studies, the combined sample of 304 mothers reported on their abuse risk and cognitive and anger processes. ResultsGreater approval of physical discipline and weaker anger regulation abilities were directly or indirectly related to measures of abuse risk during the pandemic, with maternal justification to use parent-child aggression to ensure obedience consistently relating to all indicators of abuse risk during the pandemic. ConclusionsSocio-emotional processes that include anger appear particularly relevant during the heightened period of strain induced by the pandemic. By studying multiple factors simultaneously, the current findings can inform child abuse prevention efforts.

Understanding the Intergenerational Cycle of Trauma and Violence: Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and Parent-to-Child Aggression Risk.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as exposure to maltreatment and household dysfunction, are major risk factors for physical and mental health problems across the lifespan. While the relationship between ACEs and health outcomes is well established, what effects ACEs might have on parent-to-child aggression are less known. The negative consequences of ACEs on parental aggression can be even more pronounced with multiple exposures to different patterns of ACEs. This study examined the association between patterns of maternal ACEs and subsequent parent-child aggression risk. A diverse sample of young women (N = 329; mean age = 26.3 years) was recruited at a large, urban university medical center. Participants completed self-report measures of the ACEs Questionnaire and the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory-2. Latent class analysis was used to identify classes of women with similar patterns of exposure to ACEs and to examine the associations between ACEs classes and parent-to-child aggression risk. Three latent classes, characterized by distinct patterns of maternal ACEs, were identified: Low ACEs (63% of the sample), High Parental Separation/Divorce (20%), and High/Multiple ACEs classes (17%). Women in the High/Multiple ACEs class were more likely to report higher levels of parent-to-child aggression risk (i.e., inappropriate expectations, belief in corporal punishment, lack of empathy) than those in the other classes (Wald(2) = 8.63, p = .013). Preventive interventions targeting parental attitudes and behaviors among young women exposed to ACEs may decrease the risk for further perpetuation of aggression in the next generations.

Public policy and parent-child aggression: Considerations for reducing and preventing physical punishment and abuse.

Parent-child physical aggression, including both physical punishment and abuse, remains a prevalent problem in the United States. In this paper, we briefly review the prevalence and harms of parent-child aggression and discuss changes in social norms and policies over the past several decades. Then, we discuss broad social policies influencing risk for parent-child physical aggression, policies relevant to reducing and preventing physical abuse, and policies relevant to reducing and preventing physical punishment. We close by considering future directions to strengthen research and evaluation and accelerate progress toward ending parent-child physical aggression.

Parenting style history in predicting harsh parenting and child abuse risk across the transition to parenthood: Role of gender

BackgroundIntergenerational transmission of abuse processes imply that individuals abused as children are more likely to abuse their own children when they become parents, with similar intergenerational patterns observed for parenting styles. ObjectiveThe present study addresses an important gap in the literature regarding the intergenerational cycle, investigating how perceived parenting style history predicts mothers' and fathers' child abuse risk across the transition to parenthood, with particular attention to the role of gender by comparing cross-gender and same-gender grandparent-parent dyads. Participants and methodsThe sample is drawn from a four-wave longitudinal study that enrolled 203 families beginning the final trimester of mothers' pregnancy until children were four years old. Parents responded to measures on parenting style history received from both their mothers and fathers as well as measures of their own child abuse risk, parent-child aggression, and personal parenting style. ResultsMothers demonstrated more same-gender effects, whereas fathers demonstrated more cross-gender effects–both patterns supportive of a tendency to follow maternal influences when considering child abuse risk. With regards to behavior, both mothers' and fathers' reports of parent-children aggression were most influenced by perceived harsh parenting received from their fathers. ConclusionsFuture development of parenting interventions could be more individualized to the participating parent's reported personal history of parenting style and gender.

Evidence-based social work outreach to military leaders to facilitate intimate partner violence and child maltreatment identification and referral: an evaluation

ABSTRACT The effects of family maltreatment on the military are far-reaching and well documented, with implications that include the deterioration of mission readiness and an increase in distractibility for all involved. Congress has mandated each service agency to take steps in preventing partner and child maltreatment, including outreach – enlisting military leaders to identify, respond to, and mitigate risk factors for maltreatment in their active duty (AD) members – but the success and impact of these efforts have gone mostly unexamined. This article explores the implementation and evaluation of a new Air Force (AF) family maltreatment training based on empirical and military-specific evidence of prevalence, risk and protective factors, and the impact on military families. This project sought to optimize and standardize such trainings across bases in an interactive manner. As expected, the training led to significantly greater knowledge about family maltreatment, significantly lower belief in the justification of both IPV and parent–child aggression, significantly lower belief in the effectiveness of parent–child aggression to solve problems, significantly increased self-efficacy to help prevent and address family maltreatment on the base, and marginally significantly more positive beliefs about Family Advocacy Program (FAP). Additionally, satisfaction with the training was very high.

Assessing Mothers' Automatic Affective and Discipline Reactions to Child Behavior in Relation to Child Abuse Risk: A Dual-Processing Investigation.

Given the scope and adverse clinical consequences of child abuse, assessment of salient etiological factors can lend critical insights needed for abuse prevention. Increasingly, dual-processing models have been applied to aggression, which postulate that parallel automatic and conscious processes can evoke aggressive behavior, implicating both affective and cognitive elements in both routes. Using two samples of mothers (n = 110 and n = 195), the current investigation considered evidence of the reliability and convergent, concurrent, and construct validity of the new Automatic Parent Emotion Analog Response task relevant to parent-child aggression, contrasted with a self-reported conscious processing measure. Findings provide evidence that affective reactions of both anger and worry relate to child abuse risk and inclination to respond aggressively, and demonstrate how mothers' automatic reactions relate to both perceived child misbehavior and child dangerous behavior. Current results lend psychometric support for automatic processing in parent-child aggression consistent with other dual-processing theories of aggression.

Underlying mechanisms for racial disparities in parent-child physical and psychological aggression and child abuse risk

BackgroundUnderstanding factors that contribute to parents’ use of physical and psychological parent-child aggression (PCA) is critical in efforts to mitigate child maltreatment. ObjectiveExtant research has not adequately distinguished risk factors that may differ by race. Participants and methodsThe present study investigated potential racial differences in worry, approval of PCA, justification for PCA use, negative child intent attributions, and discrimination experiences in relation to child abuse risk and physical and psychological PCA use in a sample of 292 Black (44.9 %) and White mothers. ResultsAs hypothesized, compared to White mothers, Black mothers demonstrated higher child abuse risk and reported more PCA use, stronger approval for using PCA, and more justification of their PCA to teach children obedience. Although Black mothers reported more discipline-relevant worry as well as more experience of discrimination, White mothers’ lower trait worry related to their greater approval of PCA for discipline, which indirectly related to their abuse risk. Contrary to expectations, perceptions of greater discrimination were related to White mothers’ increased child abuse risk, approval of PCA, and justification for PCA because of anger and to teach obedience—findings not observed for Black mothers. ConclusionsThe current results underscore the need for additional research on the role of discrimination and the cultural context of parenting and highlight the importance of explicitly testing racial differences to develop more culturally informed abuse prevention approaches.

58055 Mothers’ and Fathers’ Parent-Child Aggression Risk, Intimate Partner Violence, and Perceived Child Behavior Problems

ABSTRACT IMPACT: In light of the high co-occurrence between intimate partner violence (IPV) and physical child abuse, studying these forms of aggression simultaneously, bidirectionally, and longitudinally is vital to address this public health need. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: This study examined reciprocal associations between parent-child aggression (PCA) risk, IPV victimization, and perceived child behavior problems, to evaluate whether negative processes can transmit across family subsystems (i.e., spillover hypothesis) and/or across individuals (i.e., crossover hypothesis) over time. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Participants were first-time mothers and their male partners enrolled in a prospective longitudinal study, which tracked parenting and PCA risk over the transition to parenthood and into early childhood. The current project examined data from the third and fourth waves, when participants’ child was 18 months old and approximately 4 years old. At both timepoints, parents reported on their PCA risk (i.e., child abuse potential, harsh parenting), physical and psychological IPV victimization and perpetration, and perceived child behavior problems. Mothers and fathers each completed protocol on laptops in separate private rooms. Hypotheses were tested with autoregressive cross-lagged path models, which were estimated for mothers and fathers separately as well as dyadically. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Findings partially supported the hypotheses, with evidence of spillover occurring bidirectionally for mothers and unidirectionally for both mothers and fathers. Mothers’ PCA risk predicted their subsequent IPV victimization and their reported child behavior problems (i.e., spillover effects) as well as fathers’ reported IPV victimization (i.e., crossover effect). Maternal reports of child behavior problems also predicted mothers’ reported IPV victimization and fathers’ reported child behavior problems, indicating possible child-driven effects. Overall, results demonstrate the mutual influence of individuals and subsystems within the family. Additionally, mothers rather than fathers appear more vulnerable to harmful spillover effects. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: The need for family prevention and intervention services is clear, given the complex, transactional nature of family violence. Particularly for mothers, higher PCA risk may herald an increased risk for subsequent IPV victimization and vice versa. Clinical implications for parent-focused intervention programs are discussed.

Spillover and Crossover Effects: Mothers' and Fathers' Intimate Partner Violence, Parent-Child Aggression Risk, and Child Behavior Problems.

The high co-occurrence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and physical child abuse suggests that studying these forms of aggression simultaneously, bidirectionally, and longitudinally is critical. Guided by family systems theory, this study examined parent-child aggression (PCA) risk, IPV victimization, and child behavior problems as reported by mothers and fathers when their child was 18 months and at 4 years old, to evaluate whether negative processes can transmit across family subsystems (i.e., spillover hypothesis) and/or across individuals (i.e., crossover hypothesis). Results indicated that mothers' PCA risk predicted their subsequent IPV victimization and their reported child behavior problems (i.e., spillover effects) as well as fathers' reported IPV victimization (i.e., crossover effect). Maternal reports of child behavior problems also predicted mothers' reported IPV victimization and fathers' reported child behavior problems, indicating child-driven effects. Overall, mothers rather than fathers appear more vulnerable to harmful spillover effects. Findings underscore the need for early prevention and intervention given the complex, transactional nature of family violence.

Refining social-information processing theory: Predicting maternal and paternal parent-child aggression risk longitudinally

BackgroundClarifying the pathways leading parents to engage in parent-child aggression (PCA) would benefit child abuse prevention efforts during the perinatal period. ObjectiveThe present investigation empirically tested whether a social information processing (SIP) model could predict PCA risk from factors assessed in new mothers and fathers. Participants and SettingThis study recruited a diverse sample of 201 primiparous mothers in the last trimester of their pregnancy along with 151 fathers. MethodsUsing a prospective longitudinal study, the hypothesized SIP model was refined statistically using SIP factors measured prenatally to predict PCA risk when their children were 18 months. This refined model was then validated with SIP factors assessed when infants were 6 months to predict PCA risk when toddlers were 18 months. ResultsIn general, findings indicated poor empathy related to greater overreactivity and more negative child behavior attributions. Moreover, approval of PCA use, negative child attributions, less knowledge of non-physical discipline alternatives, and higher child compliance expectations predicted subsequent PCA risk. The proposed SIP model for mothers demonstrated considerable stability. Although SIP processes predicted paternal risk, several SIP relations changed over time for fathers. ConclusionsFindings suggest comprehensive theoretical models like SIP theory can guide the specific processes to target for prevention and clarify how processes may be interconnected. SIP processes appear relevant and relatively stable targets for prevention and early intervention, particularly for mothers. SIP processes were applicable for fathers although the model was less consistent, suggesting work in examining paternal PCA risk remains an important research direction.

Bidirectional Spillover in the Family across the Transition to Parenthood.

Although family systems theory posits reciprocal causality between subsystems of the family, such as intimate partner violence exacerbating harsh parenting and vice versa, longitudinal studies with cross-lagged models have been used infrequently to test these principles. As guided by the spillover model, this study examined bidirectional associations between couple dysfunction, parent-child aggression risk, and child functioning across the transition to parenthood to determine whether and how disruptions in one subsystem relate to problems in other family subsystems. Participants were 201 first-time mothers and 151 fathers from a diverse community sample, evaluated during pregnancy, and reassessed two more times through their child's first 18months of life. Individual and dyadic path model results indicate bidirectional spillover effects between parent-child aggression risk and child functioning for both mothers and fathers, and spillover from parent-child aggression risk to couple dysfunction for mothers but not fathers. However, limited spillover effects were identified between couple functioning and child adjustment, in contrast to previous work. Findings suggest that spillover can happen reciprocally and early in the family, supporting transactional models of behavior and highlighting the need for early family level intervention.

Gender role ideology in mothers and fathers: Relation with parent-child aggression risk longitudinally

BackgroundThe existing literature is dominated by models of parent-child aggression (PCA) risk using maternal samples, thereby limiting insight into factors that contribute to fathers’ PCA risk. Protective factors that can affect PCA risk within the mother-father dyad at the cultural level are also often overlooked. ObjectiveThe current study examined the potential positive role of gender ideologies on maternal and paternal PCA risk over time, considering both individual and partner effects on PCA risk. Participants and settingParticipants were 150 couples, with primiparous mothers and their male partners identified from a larger study of PCA risk. MethodsThe study employed a longitudinal design with three waves. Participants were first assessed in mothers’ third trimester of pregnancy and re-assessed when their child was 6 months and 18 months. Dyads reported their gender role attitudes prenatally and PCA risk across time. ResultsEgalitarian gender role ideologies related to lower PCA risk for both mothers and fathers prenatally. At 6 months, neither mothers’ nor fathers’ gender role ideologies related to PCA risk but by 18 months, fathers’ gender role beliefs predicted their PCA risk whereas mother’s gender role beliefs only marginally predicted their PCA risk. Maternal egalitarian gender ideologies significantly predicted fathers’ lower PCA risk at 6 months. ConclusionsThese findings suggest less traditional gender roles may contribute to lower PCA risk in parents particularly prior to childbirth. Therefore, future work is needed to further consider the evolving interconnectedness within couples in their PCA risk over time.

Predicting Maternal and Paternal Parent-Child Aggression Risk: Longitudinal Multimethod Investigation using Social Information Processing Theory.

Given the costly outcomes associated with the physical abuse and harsh discipline of children, identifying pathways leading parents to engage in parent-child aggression (PCA) are critical to prevention and intervention efforts. One model that attempts to identify the processes involved in increasing parents' risk is an adaptation of Social Information Processing (SIP) theory. The current study investigated whether elements of SIP theory assessed prenatally can predict later PCA risk in a diverse sample of mothers and fathers. This evaluation controlled for parents' current level of personal vulnerabilities (psychopathology, substance use, domestic violence) or resiliencies (social support, partner satisfaction, coping) to determine the predictive value of the SIP processes in particular. This study used a multimethod approach that included several analog tasks. Dyadic analyses were conducted to contrast 196 mothers and their partners who were enrolled prenatally and then re-assessed when their infants were 6 months old. Findings indicate that poor empathy assessed prenatally was associated with greater overreactivity and more negative attributions regarding children's behavior which in turn predicted later PCA risk. Moreover, attitudes approving the use of PCA predicted later PCA risk largely due to its connection with negative child attributions, less knowledge of non-physical discipline alternatives, and higher compliance expectations. The results suggest that elements of the SIP theory can be identified prenatally to estimate later risk of PCA, with some differences in profiles between mothers and fathers. Future directions for evaluating the SIP model and its implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.

Predicting child problem behavior and maternal/paternal parent-child aggression: Identifying early prevention targets

Parental socio-cognitive factors may predict their physical discipline use as well as their perceptions of children's problem behavior; infant temperament may also influence parents' discipline use. Using a bidirectional approach, the current study investigated whether attitudes approving of parent-child aggression (PCA), negative child behavior attributions, knowledge of nonphysical discipline options, and infant temperament predicted 186 mothers' and 146 fathers' PCA use and child problem behaviors one year later. Findings indicated mothers who approved of PCA use and held negative child attributions were more likely to report greater subsequent PCA use; less knowledge of nonphysical discipline options predicted more perceived problem behaviors one year later. Fathers were more likely to engage in PCA with toddlers if they had less knowledge of nonphysical discipline options but also if they viewed their infants as active. Contributors to mothers' and fathers' PCA use and implications for prevention efforts and children's outcomes are considered.

Predictors of change in mothers' and fathers' parent-child aggression risk.

Parents' cognitive schemas about parenting, personal vulnerabilities, and personal resources may affect their risk of engaging in parent-child aggression (PCA). This longitudinal study examined predictors of change in mothers' and fathers' PCA risk across the transition to parenthood, comparing trajectories of parents evidencing high versus low sociodemographic risk. Potential predictors involved parenting-relevant schemas (consistent with Social Information Processing theory, including approval of PCA, negative attributions of child behavior, and knowledge of nonphysical discipline options), personal vulnerabilities (psychopathology, intimate partner violence, substance use issues), and resources (problem-focused coping, emotion regulation, social support, and partner satisfaction). Results indicated that increases in PCA approval, negative child behavior attributions, and symptoms of psychopathology, as well as decreases in problem-focused coping skills, emotion regulation ability, and partner satisfaction, all significantly predicted changes in mothers' and fathers' PCA risk over time-regardless of risk group status. Notably, increases in intimate partner violence victimization and decreases in social support satisfaction predicted mothers' but not fathers' PCA risk change; moreover, increases in knowledge of nonphysical discipline alternatives or in substance use issues did not predict change in PCA risk for either mothers or fathers. Risk groups differed in PCA risk across all predictors with minimal evidence of differential trajectories. Overall, these findings have important implications for child abuse prevention programs involving both universal and secondary abuse prevention efforts.

Disentangling the Cycle: Potential Mediators and Moderators in the Intergenerational Transmission of Parent-Child Aggression.

Although a cycle of harsh and abusive parenting has been recognized for decades, this cycle is not inevitable. Indeed, the mechanisms underlying such patterns, and the resources parents may access to disrupt this cycle, require further study. Research investigating those processes has either relied on cross-sectional designs or largely assessed mediators or moderators at one time point. The current investigation of parent-child aggression (PCA) risk utilized a longitudinal design to consider possible mediators and moderators across three time points. Mothers and fathers reported on their personal history of physical and psychological abuse during the last trimester of the mother's pregnancy; their PCA risk was assessed concurrently when their child was 6 months and when their child was 18 months. Current findings support several mediators for mothers, although fewer for fathers, prenatally, but mediation was not observed across time. Similarly, several moderators of the effect of personal history of physical and psychological aggression on PCA risk were identified prenatally but not across time. Thus, several qualities believed to account for, or mitigate, the intergenerational transmission of PCA may not be consistent-underscoring the continued need to identify factors that account for the cyclical process versus what may interrupt intergenerational transmission.

Mediators between Parenting History and Expected At-Risk Parenting: Role of Conformity, Coping, and Attitudes

The current study used a multimethod approach to consider potential mediators and moderators of the relationship between harsh, authoritarian parenting history and future at-risk parenting defined as child abuse potential and authoritarian parenting. The study involved 114 childless undergraduate students, a group that could represent a potential target group for child abuse prevention efforts. The role of coping, conformity, and attitudes towards harsh discipline were evaluated and considered as potential moderators or mediators of future at-risk parenting. Attitudes that approve of parent-child aggression and greater conformity were found to partially mediate the relationship between a history of authoritarian parenting and future at-risk parenting. In other words, approval of parent-child aggression and an inclination to be more socially conformist partly explained the relationship between a history of harsh, authoritarian discipline as children and whether participants expected to become harsh parents. However, neither greater coping skill nor lower conformity moderated the association between parenting history and at-risk parenting. This study implies that altering the acceptability of parent-child aggression could serve as an important prevention target in pre-parents to minimize the likelihood of adopting at-risk parenting practices. Additionally, the role of social conformity in at-risk parenting warrants further investigation given the current findings suggest that part of why one may later assume a harsh at-risk parenting approach reflects embracing a conformist style.

Acceptability of Family Violence: Underlying Ties Between Intimate Partner Violence and Child Abuse

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and child abuse (CA) are two forms of family violence with shared qualities and risk factors, and are forms of violence that tend to overlap. Acceptability of violence in partner relationships is a known risk factor in IPV just as acceptability of parent-child aggression is a risk factor in CA. We hypothesized that these acceptability attitudes may be linked and represent the expression of a general, underlying nonspecific acceptance of violence in close family relationships. The sample involved 164 male IPV offenders participating in a batterer intervention program. Implicit measures, which assess constructs covertly to minimize response distortions, were administered to assess acceptability of partner violence against women and acceptability of parent-child aggression. To determine whether acceptability attitudes regarding both forms of violence were related to a higher order construct tapping general acceptance of family violence, Bayesian confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. Findings supported a hierarchical (bifactor) model with a general factor expressing a nonspecific acceptance of family violence, and two specific factors reflecting acceptability of violence in intimate partner and parent-child relationships, respectively. This hierarchical model supporting a general acceptance of violence in close family relationships can inform future research aiming to better understand the connections between IPV and CA.

Predicting Parent-Child Aggression Risk in Mothers and Fathers: Role of Emotion Regulation and Frustration Tolerance

Efforts to identify targets that could be instrumental for child abuse prevention programs have often implicated stress as a key risk factor. However, existing research has not adequately considered the role of emotion dysregulation and frustration intolerance in predicting parents’ risk to engage in parent-child aggression (PCA). In addition, research in this field continues to focus heavily on mothers, with limited attention to fathers. Thus, the current study investigated whether perceived stress and distress, emotion dysregulation, and frustration intolerance independently predicted risk of PCA in a sample of 81 couples; moreover, the study evaluated whether emotion regulation or frustration tolerance mediated or moderated the association between stress and PCA risk. Findings indicated that each of the risk factors uniquely predicted PCA risk after controlling for demographic factors; neither emotion dysregulation nor frustration intolerance moderated the association between stress and PCA risk but emotion regulation did partially mediate this association. No significant differences in the pattern of these relationships were observed between mothers and fathers. Future research directions are discussed, including methodological considerations as well as evaluating how emotion regulation skills training and improved parental frustration tolerance may prevent parent-child aggression.