NCJ Number
129336
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1991) Pages: 61-80
Date Published
1991
Length
20 pages
Annotation
The effects of situational stress on the components of the cognitive behavioral model were tested, including expectations, interpretations, and behavioral responses to child behaviors.
Abstract
A sample of 16 mothers from a child abuse prevention and treatment program was used to test the hypotheses that parental abuse potential would be positively related to inappropriate expectations, to negative and internally caused interpretations of child behavior, and to negative parental responses. As child abuse potential increased, it was predicted that interpretations and responses would be increasingly negative. The mothers responded to questions pertaining to a set of vignettes portraying normal child behaviors. The findings suggest that, as abuse potential increased, parental responses became more controlling, punishing, rejecting, and aroused. The responses were magnified by higher stress levels. 2 tables and 40 references (Author abstract modified)