NCJ Number
194585
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2002 Pages: 1-21
Date Published
2002
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study examined child-abuse potential across four subtypes of maritally violent men.
Abstract
Researchers have shown an overlap between husband-to-wife violence and child abuse, but little is known about which maritally violent men are at greatest risk for engaging in child abuse. The current study was designed to help remedy this research gap. Holtzworth-Munroe et al. (2000) identified four subtypes of maritally violent men. Two of the subgroups resembled the borderline/dysphoric (BD) and generally violent/antisocial (GVA) groups. The other two subgroups engaged in lower levels of aggression. One subgroup was labeled the "low level antisocial subgroup (LLA)," and the other included men who engaged in even lower levels of physical aggression and did not systematically differ from nonviolent, maritally distressed comparison samples on any measures except those assessing marital physical aggression. This group was labeled the family only (FO) subgroup and was assumed to be comparable to the mildly physically aggressive men studied in community, newly wed, and marital therapy samples. The current study used the Holtzworth-Munroe et al. study sample (n=102), along with two comparison groups of nonviolent men. All subjects were administered the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP), because it is a screening measure of a participant's potential to engage in abuse rather than a measure of actual abuse. As such, the CAP could be administered to participants who did not have children. In the current sample, 70 men did not have children living in their home. The results showed that the BD batterer subtype had significantly higher child abuse potential scores than all of the other violent subtypes and the nonviolent comparison groups. BD men are highly dependent upon, yet fearful of losing, their wives. They are jealous, lack marital relationship skills, have hostile attitude toward women, and have attitudes supportive of violence. Researchers have hypothesized that BD men may have experienced high levels of parental abuse and rejection in their own childhoods and may thus impact how they interact with their own children. Given the limitations of this study, however, replication is needed before intervention implications can be seriously considered. 4 tables and 41 references