NCJ Number
54525
Journal
Psychological Reports Volume: 43 Issue: 1 Dated: (AUGUST 1978) Pages: 323-327
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
IN A STUDY OF SELF-CONCEPT DISTURBANCE AMONG MOTHERS WHO ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN, 60 CALIFORNIA WOMEN WITH CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OLD WERE SURVEYED.
Abstract
TO DETERMINE WHETHER SELF-CONCEPT DISTURBANCE SIGNIFICANTLY DISTINGUISHED ABUSIVE FROM NONABUSIVE MOTHERS, GROUP OF 30 ABUSIVE MOTHERS FROM THE FAMILY STRESS CENTER IN CHULA VISTA, CALIF., WERE COMPARED WITH 30 NONABUSIVE MOTHERS WHO BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO THE PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE CLINIC OF THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN SAN DIEGO, CALIF. SUBJECTS WERE ASKED TO FILL OUT A PERSONAL DATA SHEET AND TO RESPOND TO WEEDMAN, WARREN, AND MARX'S SELF-CONCEPT, INCONGRUENCE SCALE. THE SELF-CONCEPT INCONGRUENCE SCALE IS A 16-SCALE SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL DESIGNED TO ASSESS SELF-CONCEPT, SELF-CONCEPT INCONGRUENCE, AND SELF-CONCEPT INCONSISTENCY. IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS. WOMEN WHO ABUSED THEIR CHILDREN HAD LOWER AND MORE INCONSISTENT SELF-CONCEPTS THAN NONABUSERS; THEY ALSO EXPERIENCED GREATER INCONGRUENCE BETWEEN THE WAY THEY VIEWED THEMSELVES AND THE WAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE. THESE DISTURBANCES WERE SEEN AS BOTH THE SOURCES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE EXTREME FRUSTRATION WHICH LEADS TO VIOLENCE WHEN SOCIALLY APPROPRIATE OUTLETS ARE UNAVAILABLE. THE PRESENT STUDY PROVIDES SOME VALIDATION OF CLINICAL REPORTS THAT ABUSIVE PARENTS EXHIBIT LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND GREAT INCONGRUENCE BETWEEN THEIR REAL AND IDEAL SELF-CONCEPTS. TABLES AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MLC)