Research in the Netherlands on a theory of child abuse: a preliminary report

A three-factor theory of child abuse has been developed which includes: (1) a high level of parental aggression; (2) a low level of parental inhibition of overt aggression; and (3) the focusing of parental aggression on the child. In the theory each factor is the outcome of a subfactor "path." A high level of parental aggression is the outcome of seven subfactors. A low level of parental inhibition of overt aggression is the outcome of three subfactors. The focusing of parental aggression on the child is the outcome of ten subfactors. The theory posits that the type of child abuse that occurs is determined by the ratio of total parental aggression to total parental inhibition of overt aggression. High numerical values of the ratio result in battering. Lower numerical values result, in descending order, in non-organic failure to thrive, physical neglect and emotional abuse. The theory and 50 hypotheses derivable from it are being tested on a sample of 150 child-abuse families and 150 control families.