[The relationship between a mother's internal working model and her tendency to be abusive in her child-raising...

The internal working model (IWM) is an outcome of the individual's pattern of development during their childhood and determines attachment styles. Probably the most significant factor that leads to child-abuse is an unstable type of attachment of mothers towards their children. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the relationship between a mother's IWM, her tendency to be abusive in her child raising approach and the implications for support to prevent such abuse.

Use of a self-administered questionnaire for mothers (n = 534) who visited health centers in Ishikawa prefecture for a routine child development check-up.

The results showed that mothers with a strongly ambivalent IWM showed an increased tendency towards child abuse when compared with mothers with other types of IWM. Even when these ambivalent IWM mothers were supported, their abusive tendencies did not change. Another aspect that emerged from the study was that mothers with a low tendency for a stable IWM showed more abusive actions towards their child when compared with mothers with other types of IWM. However, these mothers, with support, responded with a reduction in their abusive actions.

It can therefore be concluded that there is a demonstrable relationship between a mother's IWM and an abusive child-raising approach. It also showed that with mothers having a low tendency for a stable IWM, provision of support can reduce and even prevent child-abuse.