NCJ Number
207298
Journal
Journal of Emotional Abuse Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: 2004 Pages: 71-99
Date Published
2004
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This study examined the long-term outcomes of parental verbal aggression against children, along with the effects of protective factors.
Abstract
Data were collected from a nonclinical sample of 197 (51 men and 146 women) introductory psychology students at a Midwestern university. The students were administered the Conflict Tactics Scale, the Psychological Maltreatment Scale, the Parental Bonding Instrument, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale, the Coping Strategy Indicator, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Aggression Questionnaire, and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems. Verbal aggression was viewed along a continuum of severity. "Yelling or screaming" by mothers was the most prevalent form of reported verbal aggression, with just over 35 percent of the students reporting having experienced 10 or more such incidents. Other common types of verbal aggression included criticizing, making one feel guilty, insulting remarks, and making embarrassing comments. T-tests were conducted to determine whether participants who had experienced verbal aggression in childhood would also manifest more negative psychological outcomes. Results showed significant differences in all psychological-adjustment variables. Participants who measured high on experiencing verbal aggression measured lower on self-esteem, higher on aggression, and higher on interpersonal sensitivity. Protective factors, notably family cohesion and constructive bonding with the father, were found to be better predictors of psychological adjustment than verbal aggression alone. Although overall psychological adjustment and the availability of protective factors were similar for males and females, a history of verbal aggression was more likely to have negative psychological outcomes for females. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical, research, and clinical implications of the findings. 5 tables and 61 references