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Parents who abuse: what are they thinking?
Alexandra C Seng1, Ronald J Prinz
1University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA. alexseng@comcast.net
Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review
|June 13, 2008
Summary
Understanding cognitive factors is key to preventing child abuse. This research examines how dysfunctional thinking patterns, alongside other issues like aggression control and social support, contribute to abusive parenting.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Science
- Child Development
Background:
- Child abuse is a significant global social issue requiring a deeper understanding of its contributing factors.
- Identifying mechanisms behind abusive parenting is crucial for effective intervention strategies.
- Cognitive variables are increasingly recognized as potential correlates of abusive behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize existing research on cognitive variables associated with abusive or high-risk parenting.
- To explore the development of dysfunctional cognitions in parents.
- To examine the interplay between cognitive vulnerabilities and other risk factors in child abuse.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing research on cognitive correlates of abusive parenting.
- Analysis of dysfunctional child-centered and parent-centered cognitions.
- Examination of interactions between cognitive factors and other variables (e.g., aggression inhibition, social isolation).
Main Results:
- Dysfunctional child-centered and parent-centered cognitions are identified as critical correlates of abusive parenting.
- The development of these cognitive vulnerabilities is explored.
- Cognitive factors alone are insufficient; their interaction with other variables is essential for abuse occurrence.
Conclusions:
- Understanding cognitive vulnerabilities is important but not sufficient to explain child abuse.
- Interactions with factors like aggression control, problem-solving, parenting skills, social isolation, and societal context are crucial.
- A multifactorial approach is necessary for comprehending and addressing abusive parenting.
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