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Co-Occurrence of Witnessed Parental Violence and Child Physical Abuse from a National Sample of Adolescents

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Abstract

This study examined the relations between witnessed parental violence (PV) and child physical abuse (CPA) over a 1 year period among a nationally representative sample of 2,514 adolescents, ages 12–18. History of witnessed PV (Wave 1) prospectively predicted new experiences (controlling for abuse history) and first experiences of CPA reported at Wave 2. Conversely, history of CPA predicted new experiences of PV, but not first experiences. For adolescents who reported witnessed PV and CPA, witnessed PV preceded CPA in 70 % of cases. Most common configuration was single-perpetrator of violence. Additional perpetrator and sequencing configurations are reported. Study findings addressed several limitations in the literature by including use of adolescent report, longitudinal design, inclusion of perpetrator identity, and a nationally representative sample.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grant 1R01 HD046830-01. Preparation of the manuscript by Dr. Jobe-Shields was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Training Grant T32 MH18869-26. The views in this article do not necessarily represent those of the agency supporting this research.

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Correspondence to Lisa Jobe-Shields.

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Jobe-Shields, L., Moreland, A.D., Hanson, R.F. et al. Co-Occurrence of Witnessed Parental Violence and Child Physical Abuse from a National Sample of Adolescents. Journ Child Adol Trauma 11, 129–139 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-015-0057-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-015-0057-9

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