Abstract
This study examined the relationship between child abuse potential and parenting stress in mothers and fathers receiving services for child maltreatment. Significant differences were found between perpetrating and nonperpetrating parents. Nonperpetrating parents reported more problems with family, greater total parenting stress and child-related stress, and greater stress from child demandingness, adaptability, acceptability, and distractibility. No significant gender differences in child abuse potential and parenting stress were found. Aspects of parent related stress moderated the relationship between child related stress and abuse potential. Perceived stress from parenting sense of competence was isolated as a variable that significantly increased abuse potential at medium and high levels of child-related stress.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abidin, R. R. (1990a).Parenting Stress Index Manual. Pediatric Psychology Press, Charlottesville, VA.
Abidin, R. R. (1990b). Introduction to the special issue: The stresses of parenting.J. Clin. Child Psychol. 19: 298–301.
Ammerman, R. T. (1990). Etiological models of child maltreatment: A behavioral perspective.Behav. Mod. 14: 230–254.
Belsky, J. (1993). Etiology of child maltreatment: A developmental-ecological analysis.Psychological Bull. 14: 413–434.
Cohen, J., and Cohen, P. (1983).Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (second edition), Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ.
Egeland, B. R., Breitenbucher, M., and Rosenberg, D. (1980). Prospective study of the significance of life stress in the etiology of child abuse.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 48: 195–205.
Hillson, J. M. C., and Kuiper, N. A. (1994). A stress and coping model of child maltreatment.Clin. Psychol. Rev. 14: 261–285.
Holden, E. W., Willis, D. J., and Foltz, L. (1989). Child abuse potential and parenting stress: Relationships in maltreating parents.Psychological Assess. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 1: 64–67.
Milner, J. S. (1986).The Child Abuse Potential Inventory Manual (second edition), Psyctec, Webster, NC.
Newberger, E. H., Hampton, R. L., Marx, T. J., and White, K. M. (1986). Child abuse and pediatric social illness: An epidemiological analysis and ecological reformulation.Am. J. Orthopsychiatry 56: 589–601.
Schellenbach, C. J., Monroe, L. D., and Merluzzi, T. V. (1991). The impact of stress on cognitive components of child abuse potential.J. Fam. Viol. 6: 61–80.
Seagull, E. A. (1987). Social support and child maltreatment: A review of the evidence.Child Abuse Negl. 11: 41–52.
Webster-Stratton, C. (1990). Stress: A potential disrupter of parent perceptions and family interactions.Clin. Child Psychol. 19: 302–313.
Whipple, E. E., and Webster-Stratton, C. (1991). The role of parental stress in physically abusive families.Child Abuse Negl. 15: 279–291.
Wolfe, D. A. (1985). Child abusive parents: An empirical review and analysis.Psychological Bull. 97: 462–482.
Wolfe, D. A. (1987).Child abuse: Implications for Child Development and Psychopathology, Sage, San Diego, CA.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Holden, E.W., Banez, G.A. Child abuse potential and parenting stress within maltreating families. J Fam Viol 11, 1–12 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02333337
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02333337