Can a Family-Focused, Transition-to-Parenthood Program Prevent Parent and Partner Aggression Among Couples With Young Children?

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 967-980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marni L. Kan ◽  
Mark E. Feinberg
Keyword(s):  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Psychological Aggression ◽  
Child Aggression ◽  
Family Based ◽  
And Control ◽  
Children’S Exposure ◽  
Family Aggression ◽  
Parent Child

The need for prevention of children’s exposure to family aggression is clear, yet studies have not examined effects of family based programs on both partner and parent–child aggression. This study examined moderated effects of an 8-session psychoeducational program for couples on partner psychological aggression and parent–child physical aggression when the child was 3 years old. A community sample of 169 expectant couples was randomized to intervention and control conditions. Significant program effects indicated reduced partner psychological aggression by fathers and reduced parent–child physical aggression by mothers for couples with frequent preprogram partner psychological aggression and reduced partner psychological aggression by fathers for couples with severe preprogram partner physical aggression. Efforts to prevent children’s exposure to family aggression may most benefit couples exhibiting preprogram relationship risk.

scholarly journals Parent–Child Aggression: Association With Child Abuse Potential and Parenting Styles

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 728-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Child Abuse ◽  
Parenting Style ◽  
Parenting Styles ◽  
Abuse Potential ◽  
Psychological Aggression ◽  
Child Abuse Potential ◽  
Child Aggression ◽  
Permissive Parenting ◽  
Physical Maltreatment ◽  
Parent Child

The present investigation predicted that greater use of corporal punishment as well as physical maltreatment would be associated with child abuse potential and selected parenting styles. Three independent studies were examined, two with community samples and a third with a clinical at-risk sample of parents. Parents across all studies anonymously completed the Child Abuse Potential Inventory, the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scale to assess physical discipline and maltreatment, as well as the Parenting Scale to measure dysfunctional parenting styles. Findings support that overall parent–child aggression, as well as physical maltreatment behaviors specifically, were associated with child abuse potential. Parent–child aggression was also related to dysfunctional parenting styles, particularly an overreactive, authoritarian parenting style. Permissive parenting was also identified as potentially associated with physical maltreatment, although the findings regarding such lax parenting styles are less clear. Intriguing findings emerged regarding the connection of psychological aggression to both child abuse potential and dysfunctional parenting style. Child abuse potential was also associated with dysfunctional parenting style, particularly harsh, overreactive approaches. Recommendations for future study with at-risk samples and additional research on permissive parenting and psychological aggression are discussed.

The Gender Perspective on Parent-to-child Aggression: Gender and Gender-constellations

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052098037
Author(s):  
David Mehlhausen-Hassoen
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Aggressive Behavior ◽  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Common Risk Factor ◽  
Child Aggression ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Parental Aggression ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Gender Specific

Parent-to-child aggressive behavior is a common risk factor for children’s health. Gender is correlated also to the odds of using aggression and the odds of being a victim of aggression. Yet, only few studies have considered the constellation of perpetrator’s and victim’s gender as a factor of parental aggression. The current study addresses parent-to-child aggressive behavior while focusing on the constellation of perpetrator’s and victim’s gender (i.e., mother–daughter, mother–son, father–daughter, father–son). It utilizes a community sample of Israeli university students ( N = 508), 78% of which are female, on average 25.67 years of age ( SD = 8.29). The participants reported the incidence and frequency of verbal and physical aggressive behavior of their parents against them during the years of middle school. The results show gender and gender-constellation to be significantly correlated with parental aggression. Overall, sons were more likely to suffer both verbal and physical aggression from their parents than daughters were. Only paternal verbal and physical aggression was more common against daughters, and only maternal verbal and physical aggression was more common against sons. Parental verbal and physical aggression from both parents were more common against sons. For all types and forms of parental aggression, daughters reported higher frequencies. These results suggest that while parent’s gender might predict their overall aggressive behavior, and child’s gender might predict their overall odds to be victimized by parental aggression, gender-constellation might create gender-specific selective patterns of parental aggressive behavior. Thus, the theoretical contribution of this study is in emphasizing that gender-constellations have an explanatory value beyond gender alone. These findings might be valuable to assess the risk of daughters and sons to suffer parental aggression, and for practitioners to provide apt professional response.

scholarly journals Official Incidents of Domestic Violence: Types, Injury, and Associations With Nonofficial Couple Aggression

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 502-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah M. Capaldi ◽  
Joann Wu Shortt ◽  
Hyoun K. Kim ◽  
Jane Wilson ◽  
Lynn Crosby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Psychological Aggression ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Physical Force ◽  
Police Reports ◽  
Official Police

Official police reports of intimate partner violence (IPV) were examined in a community sample of young, at-risk couples to determine the degree of mutuality and the relation between IPV arrests and aggression toward a partner (self-reported, partner reported, and observed). Arrests were predominantly of the men. Men were more likely to initiate physical contact, use physical force, and inflict injuries than women, although few injuries required medical attention. In the context of nonofficial aggression toward a partner, overall, women had higher levels of physical and psychological aggression compared to men, and levels of severe physical aggression did not differ by gender. Couples with an IPV arrest were more aggressive toward each other than couples with no IPV arrests; however, nonofficial levels of aggression were not higher for men than for women among couples experiencing an IPV incident.

Major Depressive Disorder and Depressive Symptomatology as Predictors of Husband to Wife Physical Aggression

1998 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shari Feldbau-Kohn ◽  
Richard E. Heyman ◽  
K. Daniel O’Leary
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Psychological Aggression ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Court Mandated ◽  
Depression Symptomatology

This study investigated the association between a husband’s depressive symptomatology and the frequency of physical aggression toward his wife, as well as a husband’s Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and the frequency of physical aggression toward his wife. We assessed physically aggressive men who volunteered for treatment with their wives (N = 89). Almost one third had moderate levels of depressive symptomatology (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI ≥ 14]), but only 11% met criteria for MDD (based on a structured interview [SCID]). Although the rate of MDD was not absolutely high, it was higher than that reported in a community sample (i.e., 3%). A significant relationship between increased depressive symptomatology and frequency of physical aggression was found, but the association was most likely accounted for by self-reported anger. Related contextual factors including marital discord and psychological aggression are addressed. Theoretical and treatment implications are discussed, including the severity of the treatment population (volunteer vs. court mandated), and severity of the depression (symptomatology vs. clinical diagnosis).

scholarly journals Disentangling the Cycle: Potential Mediators and Moderators in the Intergenerational Transmission of Parent–Child Aggression

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Rodriguez ◽  
Paul J. Silvia ◽  
Samantha Gonzalez ◽  
Maria-Ernestina Christl
Keyword(s):  
Intergenerational Transmission ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Personal History ◽  
Psychological Aggression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Child Aggression ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cyclical Process ◽  
Time Point ◽  
Parent Child

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.

Associations Between Parent–Child Communication and Connectedness, Parent Feeding Behavior, and Child Body Mass in Pre-Adolescent Children

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina D Lowe ◽  
Mark A Lott ◽  
Chad D Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Behavior ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Feeding Strategies ◽  
Feeding Behaviors ◽  
Parent Child Communication ◽  
Parental Feeding ◽  
Parent Feeding ◽  
Parent Child

Abstract Objective  This study evaluated associations between parent–child connectedness and communication, parent feeding behaviors (restriction, pressure to eat, and monitoring), and age- and sex-standardized child body mass index (zBMI) in a sample of pre-adolescent children aged 8–12 years. Methods  A community sample of three hundred and eight child–parent dyads completed measures of communication and connectedness. Parents completed a feeding behavior measure and children were weighed and their height was measured. We examined whether parental feeding behaviors and parent–child communication and connectedness predicted child zBMI and whether parental feeding behaviors moderated the association between parent–child communication and connectedness and child zBMI. Results  Feeding restriction was positively associated with zBMI, while both pressure to eat and food monitoring exhibited negative associations with zBMI. Child-reported communication was inversely associated with zBMI and parental pressure to eat moderated this association such that lower pressure to eat predicted a stronger association between communication and zBMI. Conclusions  These findings are consistent with previous research suggesting that parent feeding strategies and parent–child communication are important contributors to child weight status. This study also provides preliminary evidence suggesting that adaptive parent–child communication is associated with lower body mass when parents avoid pressuring their child to eat. Our study provides an important extension of this body of research into middle childhood, a relatively understudied developmental stage.

scholarly journals Physical activity among parents during pregnancy and 8 months postpartum compared to pre-pregnancy

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Sjögren Forss ◽  
L Stjernberg
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Transition To Parenthood ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Life Change Events ◽  
Life Change ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Physical Activity Patterns ◽  
Pregnancy And Postpartum ◽  
Change Events ◽  
Family Based

Abstract Background As there is incontrovertible evidence of the essential prerequisite of regular physical activity it is also important to understand how different life change events may impact individual's participation in physical activity. Pregnancy and the transition to parenthood have been found to be life change events associated with decreased physical activity among women however, the examination of changes of physical activity in the male parent during this major life change event has been largely neglected in scientific literature and a significant research gap can be found. In the light of this, this longitudinal study aimed to follow changing physical activity patterns among women and med during pregnancy and eight months postpartum compared to pre-pregnancy. Methods The study involved 123 women and 112 men (partners of the women) from the municipality of Karlskrona, Sweden. We measured the self-reported amount of physical activity performed outdoors and indoors before pregnancy (calculated from one month before pregnancy), throughout the entire pregnancy, and eight months postpartum. Results We found similar trends among both women and men in decreasing frequency of physical activity during pregnancy and eight months postpartum as compared to pre-pregnancy, however, overall physical activity levels did not change. Conclusions Our findings contribute new knowledge about changes in men's physical activity patterns from pre-pregnancy to pregnancy and postpartum and is an important contribution in research, as the area is very limited. As couples seem to change activity patterns similarly, it is important to promote family-based physical activity initiatives and encourage couples to be active together during pregnancy and postpartum. Key messages Couples seem to change physical activity patterns similarly during pregnancy and postpartum. as compared to pre-pregnancy. It is important to promote family-based physical activity initiatives and encourage couples to be active together during pregnancy and postpartum.

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