NCJ Number
156223
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1995) Pages: 141-157
Date Published
1995
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Abusive family interactions, particularly emotional abusiveness, as they relate to young adult problems with shame, anger, and hostility, are explored.
Abstract
This article discusses the results of a study involving 107 male and 101 female undergraduate psychology students. These students completed a questionnaire packet containing the following instruments: Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA); State-Trait Anger Scale (STAS); Anger Expression Scale (AX); Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI); and Parental Abuse and Support Inventory (PASI). Results of the study reveal that greater exposure to emotional abusiveness is related significantly to higher shame, overt and covert hostility, and expressed and unexpressed anger. Greater exposure to physical abusiveness is related significantly to overt hostility and a tendency to experience anger without a specific provoking situation. Women reported higher shame and guilt, whereas men reported higher levels of overt hostility and expressed anger. Shame proneness was related to covert hostility and unexpressed anger for both men and women. However, guilt proneness was not related to exposure to family abusiveness or, with one exception, to the anger and hostility variables. Implications for therapy with adult survivors of child abuse are discussed. Other related research studies are reviewed. Limitations of the study are noted. Tables, references