NCJ Number
149870
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Chemical Dependency Volume: 2 Issue: 3/4 Dated: (1993) Pages: 131-141
Date Published
1993
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study compares the violence characteristics of chemically dependent, abused juveniles with non-chemically dependent, nonabused youth.
Abstract
Sixty violently physically abused or sexually abused adolescents (ages 13 to 18 years) were selected from 150 documented cases. These adolescents were concurrently diagnosed as drug-dependent according to DSM-III-R criteria and had participated in an 8-week inpatient, chemical dependency program for adolescents. The first comparison group was composed of 60 nonabused, chemically dependent adolescents who were selected from the same inpatient program. These groups were compared to a group of non- chemically dependent, nonabused group of high school students randomly chosen from various high schools in central New Jersey. Subjects were matched for age, race, and gender. All subjects had completed a life-events questionnaire, which involved items pertaining to suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, homicidal ideation, and accidents. Violence characteristics were analyzed with the use of chi-square analyses. The difference was significant to the .001 level in all categories compared. Based upon the findings, the authors hypothesize that a history of physical or sexual abuse helps to catalyze identification with the perpetrator/aggressor, which creates tendencies for deadly violent actions in the victim. Destructive behaviors appear at rapid rates, even in early mid-adolescence. This hypothesis suggests the importance of early removal of children from abusive families where abusers are chemically dependent. 1 table and 34 references