Difficulties in emotion regulation in child abuse potential: Gender differences in parents

The Social Information Processing model (SIP; Milner, 1993, 2000, 2003) suggests that emotion dysregulation can be a moderating factor in Child Abuse Potential (CAP), influencing the processes of perception, interpretation and attribution of child's behavior.

This study aimed to evaluate comprehensively emotion dysregulation in CAP and to examine gender differences between fathers and mother at risk.

Participants were 186 mothers and 110 fathers of Italian pupils, aged 6-14 years (M = 9.3; SD = 1.9).

We analyzed emotion dysregulation in terms of specific dimensions (non-acceptance of emotional responses; difficulty in distracting and performing alternative behaviors; lack of confidence in the emotional regulation skills; difficulties controlling impulsive behaviors when distressed; difficulties recognizing emotion; and lack of emotional awareness) and, through correlation and regression analyses, we tested the gender differences.

Overall, parents at risk showed several difficulties in the regulation, from emotional awareness/recognition to impulse control through effective coping strategies. In particular, lack of emotional awareness (β = .20, p =  .026) was a specific deficit of fathers at risk, whereas non-acceptance of emotional responses (β = .30, p =  .001) and difficulties controlling impulsive behaviors (when distressed) (β = .35, p =  .001) of mothers at risk.

Findings confirmed the significant role of emotional dysregulation in CAP with different profiles for fathers and mothers. Clinical implications were discussed.