The aggressive characteristics of abused and neglected children

Awareness of child abuse as a serious social problem has risen sharply in recent years, yet there has been only limited and inadequate research on the abused child's growth and development. This study investigated the aggressive characteristics of young abused children with those of nonabused-neglected and normal children, a comparison not previously made. Results indicated that abused children exhibited significantly more aggression than the nonabused-negected and normal children on TAT stories and in a free play environment. Both the abused and the nonabused-neglected groups demonstrated significantly more aggression in a school setting than did normals. The findings lend empirical verification to previous descriptions of abused children as overly aggressive and support the social learning formulation that children exposed to aggressive parental models will demonstrate aggressive characteristics outside the home. The data are also consistent with prior research that links physical punishment in the home with hyperaggressiveness in children. The need for early identification and treatment of abused children is discussed.