NCJ Number
234007
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 34 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2010 Pages: 874-885
Date Published
November 2010
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether younger mothers might be at higher risk than older mothers for harsh parenting behavior, and it also identified which paternal characteristics might be associated with maternal parenting behavior.
Abstract
Multivariate analyses indicated that adolescent mothers, regardless of the age of their partners, were at higher risk for harsh parenting behavior than older adult mothers. Three paternal characteristics were associated with maternal harsh parenting behavior. First, the fathers' use of coercion against mothers was a risk factor for maternal harsh parenting behavior. Second, the father's use of spanking was a risk factor for maternal harsh parenting behavior. Third, the fathers' being employed was a risk factor for maternal physical aggression toward children. These findings emphasize the importance of the prevention of early, untimely pregnancy; intervention for adolescent and young adult parents; the detection of mothers in coercive relationships with fathers; and the assessment of attitudes toward corporal punishment. The study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. The current study examined a subsample of families for which complete data were available on all variables used in the analyses (n = 1,597). Based on the parents' age at the time of the child's birth, mother-father age-dyad types were classified, and selected paternal factors were used in examining their link with maternal harsh parenting behavior. Psychological aggression, physical aggression, and self-reports of spanking were used as proxies for maternal harsh parenting behavior. 3 tables and 69 references