A nurturing and problem-solving approach for abuse-prone mothers

This paper reports on a series of treatment programs for abuse-prone mothers. The basic premise was that abusive mothers could not nurture their children because they had never been nurtured themselves. Therefore, the first requisite was that they be given to without being asked to give back. Hairdressing was chosen as a socially acceptable way to touch, and thus physically nurture adults, as it is considered neither infantile nor sexually questionable. The first group demonstrated that this type of nurturing was helpful in creating a prosocial support network for isolated mothers. However, when problem-solving activity was substituted for nurturing in an attempt to foster the mothers' coping skills, the group disintegrated. The second group was designed to maintain the nurturing element while using group-generated crises to teach problem-solving skills. Findings from the third and fourth groups confirmed the value of this combination, as it did the importance of providing support to staff (professionals and volunteers) in their work with people whose needs are “like bottomless pits” [3]. Expert consultation on the effective use of the small group process to meet these needs was also established as necessary.     

Neglected fathers: Limitations in diagnostic and treatment resources for violent men

In its examination of violent activity within the family, current literature assumes a “pecking order” exists: Larger and stronger family members attack those who are smaller and weaker. Adult males are usually studied as primary maltreaters of spouses, while females are considered mainly responsible for physically abusive behavior with children. Use of this perspective has led to neglect of male abusers, who injure half of the mistreated children in the United States. Through assessment of 66 studies of child abuse published during a 5-year period, this paper documents the lack of attention abusive fathers have received. Twenty-eight of these studies included only mothers, while two dealt exclusively with fathers. Most of the 36 remaining two-parent studies did not discuss sex differences. No diagnostic categories consistently differentiated male from female abusers. No study discussed specialized treatment needs of women and men. This survey suggests that the therapeutic field considers the child's mother the primary responsible parent, even though she may not be the perpetrator of violence in the family. As a result, inadequate treatment resources have been made available to maltreating fathers. The survey points to the need for much more comprehensive research comparing male and female maltreaters.     

Childhood history of abuse and child abuse screening.

Although a childhood history of abuse is related to parental child abuse, many parents with a history of abuse are not abusive. To determine the effects of a childhood history of abuse on adult child abuse potential, a modified Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) and the Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory were administered to matched groups of physically abusive mothers with a childhood history of abuse, nonabusive comparison mothers with a childhood history of abuse, and nonabusive comparison mothers without a childhood history of abuse. The modified CTS asked about childhood events and was used to confirm a childhood history of abuse. As expected, the CTS verbal and violence scales were higher for the abusive and nonabusive mothers with a childhood history of abuse. None of the CTS scores were different for the abusive and nonabusive mothers with a childhood history of abuse. In contrast, the CAP abuse scores distinguished between all three study groups. However, on the CAP factor scales, only the rigidity and unhappiness factors discriminated between abusive and nonabusive mothers with a childhood history of abuse. Nonabusive mothers with a childhood history of abuse were less rigid in their child expectations and were happier in their interpersonal relationships than abusive mothers with a childhood history of abuse.     

Current understanding about intergenerational transmission of child sexual abuse

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to review what is currently understood about intergenerational transmission of child sexual abuse (CSA). METHOD: CSA transmission is discussed first from the point of view of men CSA survivors who become sexually abusive, and then from the perspective of mothers who survived CSA whose children have been sexually abused. Mechanisms that may help us understand how CSA is transmitted from one generation to another are described. More specifically, focus is given to those mechanisms that might differentiate CSA survivors who break the cycle of abuse from those who perpetuate it. RESULTS: In light of the research reviewed, it seems that the transmission of CSA is far from inevitable, since one-third of sexually abusive men and half of sexually abused children's mothers mentioned having been sexually abused in their childhood. Because of the retrospective method used in many studies, causal links could not be established. However, some mechanisms have been proposed in order to better understand the phenomenon of CSA. Severity of abuse, attachment relationships with parental figures, as well as dissociative symptoms that follow the abuse were identified. Dissociative symptomatology appeared to be a determining factor in understanding the cycle of CSA. CONCLUSIONS: More studies on CSA transmission are needed to understand the mechanisms that are involved in that cycle, as well as to develop effective strategies to treat and prevent CSA.     

Modification of locus of control: Using the RSI technique in the schools

The importance of Rotter's concept of locus of control is discussed and its educational implications outlined. A procedure involving relaxation, suggestion, and imagery (RSI) is described and its use in modifying perception of locus of control postulated. This hypothesis is tested in a study with 36 final-year secondary school students who were paired according to their scores on Rotter's I-E (internal-external) scale. Members of each pair were allocated at random to either an experimental group, which experienced three half-hour RSI sessions distributed over a 3-week period, or a control group which spent the same amount of time in discussing ways of modifying locus of control. Immediate posttreatment administration of the I-E scale indicated a definite shift toward increased internal control by subjects of both groups, with the experimental group's scores being significantly better. A further administration of the I-E scale after 12 months confirmed that this superiority had been maintained.     

Characteristics of abusive parents: A look at self-esteem

Low self-esteem has often been cited in the child abuse literature as a characteristic of abusive parents. However, most of these references have been based on individual case studies and practitioner reports rather than explicitly designed inquiries that attempt to control bias associated with clinical observations. Data for this study were derived from a broader exploratory research project conducted within the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. As part of the project, a total of 111 abusive parents were administered the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS). The TSCS score profiles for this group are examined along with a discussion of the implications of the findings for intervention services. The profiles permit a comparison between abusive parents' self-concepts, a group of normal self-concepts, and a group drawn from a mental hospital population. The departure of the abusive parents' self-concepts from the normal group and the apparent greater similarity to self-concepts of mental patients suggest a lengthier and more involved treatment than may have been formerly thought.     

The Perceptions and Experiences of Taiwanese Parents who have Children with an Intellectual Disability

Most research into family care‐giving has been undertaken in western, English‐speaking societies with little cognisance taken of possible differences across cultures. Home‐based interviews were conducted with 117 mothers and fathers in Taipei City, Taiwan and five main themes were identified using content analysis. Three themes expressed the impact of the child on family functioning, parental health, and levels of stress and two themes described parents’ coping strategies and sources of support. Although these themes broadly replicate findings from other cultures, certain features of Taiwanese–Chinese society appear to accentuate the impact on mothers especially of having a child with an intellectual disability. The implications for the provision of family‐centred services are discussed, especially in helping parents to recognise their strengths and coping capabilities, and to promote their influence in changing cultural attitudes.     

The Effects of a Coping Skills Training Program on the Coping Skills, Hopelessness, and Stress Levels of Mothers of Children with Autism

The aim of this study is to explore the effects of a coping skills training program on stress, and hopelessness levels and coping skills of mothers of children with autism the age range of children was 12–19 for the experimental group and 11–17 for the control group. Twenty mothers of children with autism were assigned to a treatment group and a no treatment control group. A pre-test- post-test no-treatment control group design was undertaken. After completion of the program, interviews were conducted with the mothers in the experimental group to get some qualitative data about the effectiveness of the program. The results revealed differences in hopelessness levels and the use of social support as a coping strategy; however, there was no significant difference in the use of avoidance and problem solving as a coping strategy and stress levels of mothers. Moreover, the interviews conducted with mothers indicated a positive effect of the program on the mothers of children with autism. The generalization of the results is limited as the sample consisted of ten mothers and long-term follow-up data were not collected.     

The relationships of dissociation and affective family environment with the intergenerational cycle of child abuse

OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to test a model that may explain how physically abused children become physically abusive parents. It was predicted that when the family's affective environment is uncohesive, unexpressive, and conflictual, a history of abuse experiences would be associated with elevated dissociation. It was hypothesized that dissociation would mediate between a childhood history of abuse and the current potential to be physically abusive. METHOD: Abuse history, affective environment in the family-of-origin, dissociation, and abuse potential were assessed in a sample of 76 mothers with elementary school-age children. RESULTS: Predictions were supported. Affective Family Environment moderated the relation between abuse history and dissociation, with abuse history relating to greater dissociation primarily when the family environment was conflictual, uncohesive and unexpressive. Further, dissociation significantly mediated the relation between abuse history and abuse potential (Z = 2.19, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Dissociation's strong association with abuse potential may partially explain why only some abused children later perpetuate the cycle of abuse, as those who are not dissociative into adulthood are likely to have lower abuse potential, in contrast to those displaying elevated dissociation. The extent of the dissociation may depend on the affective family environment in which the abuse took place.     

高职大学生党性锤炼活动的内容和方式方法探研

科学遴选高职院校基层党组织培养活动的内容载体、改进创新学生党员党性教育活动方式方法,既是提高基层组织凝聚力和战斗力的重要途径,又是有效增强高职大学生党性修养的迫切需要。本文总结了新时期党性要求的主要内容和高职大学生党员的党性现状;从高职大学生党建工作的视野和以生为本的角度,对锤炼高职大学生党员党性有关活动的内容和方式方法进行了初步探讨。     

Empathic responding in children of battered mothers

The present study assessed the empathic abilities of children whose mothers had been the targets of conjugal violence. Thirty-two mothers and their preschool children served as subjects. There were equal numbers of boys and girls. Half of the mothers had a history of having been abused by their husbands while the other half came from non-violent relationships. The instability of the abused mothers' familial relationships was further established by means of a Home Climate Questionnaire. Analysis of this instrument revealed that although abusive husbands were not reported to be physically violent with their children, they were more verbally aggressive than their non-abusive counterparts. Four measures assessed the empathic abilities of the children: role-enactment, social inference, role-taking, and social behavior. A 2-way MANOVA (multivariate analysis of variance) run on these measures indicated a significant main effects of groups on all but the social behavior measure. There was also a significant groups by sex of child interaction on the role-taking measure. The results suggest the early and pervasive influence which marital discord may have on the empathic abilities of young children. Both direct and vicariously mediated forces may influence this facet of the child's social development.     

Higher Education of Single and Married Mothers

This paper describes an Australian sample of 78 single and 107 partnered mothers who entered or re‐entered tertiary study as mature age students. 27% were early school leavers; of those who had matriculated, early marriage and/or early pregnancy were major reasons for non‐continuance with study, and this was particularly the case among those who subsequently became single mothers. Both partnered and single were enrolled in more traditionally female courses of study than were younger female students attending the same institutions. Some four‐fifths of the sample felt they were managing their time, work, relationships, finances and overall coping poorly or very poorly. However their academic performance was well above average. The single mothers felt they were coping rather better than the married, especially with regard to money (despite being poorer), relationships and time. Overall satisfaction with university life was very high, with the main benefits reported by both single and partnered mothers being self‐esteem, knowledge, intellectual interests and intelligence. Career benefits and financial potential were mentioned less often as main benefits and only slightly more frequently by the single mothers. The question is raised of whether mature age women students, as well as female school leavers, should be encouraged to enter non‐traditional courses of study.     

Early education teachers’ conceptualizations and strategies for managing closeness with the class in child care

This study investigated teachers’ experiences of closeness during interactions with the group of children in child care. Structured interviews were conducted with 24 female teachers who were teaching children between the ages of three and five (mean age = 3.9) regarding their perceptions of closeness with the group of children in the class. Qualitative analyses of the interviews revealed a group solidarity domain of teacher–group relationships composed of three dimensions which comprise emotional solidarity, consensual solidarity, and functional solidarity, with emotional solidarity most dominant in the teachers’ perceptions. This group solidarity domain was interpreted as being consistent with qualities found in Grusec and Davidov’s group participation domain. The findings that, teachers’ closeness with the group of children in the class were dominated by the emotional dimension is similar to previous research results which report the predominance of personal and intimate interactions in relational closeness between teachers and individual children. Teachers described intentional strategies for managing close group relationships that made use of interactional histories between the teachers and children in the class. These discoveries provide a new perspective on teacher closeness with groups, an area of research not often investigated. It also provides insights into the importance teachers place on connecting emotionally with children when they are with the collective group in the classroom.     

The parental fitness of mothers with multiple personality disorder: a preliminary study

Recent studies show that nearly all individuals who develop multiple personality disorder (MPD) were abused as children. The majority of identified MPD patients are women in the age range associated with child-rearing responsibilities. A review of the parenting patterns of 75 mothers with MPD yielded findings suggesting that 38.7% were competent or exceptional mothers, 16% were grossly abusive to the extent of injuring, molesting, or placing their children at risk, and 45.3% were compromised or impaired as parents. The compromised/impaired mothers were a mixed group, including psychologically abusive individuals and those whose symptoms interfered with parenting despite their best efforts. Clinical illustrations are offered.     

Acceptability of positive and punitive discipline methods: comparisons among abusive, potentially abusive, and nonabusive parents

The present study compared abusive, potentially abusive, and control group parents' perceptions of commonly used discipline procedures. The clinical samples were obtained from Parents Anonymous (PA) and consisted of both court-referred (abusive) and self-referred (potentially abusive) members. The subjects were presented with case vignettes that described a child with either mild or severe behavior problems and asked to rate four methods of disciplining the child. The discipline methods involved positive reinforcement, timeout, timeout with spanking, and spanking. The findings indicated that (1) overall, the parents generally evaluated positive reinforcement as significantly more acceptable than timeout, timeout with spanking, and spanking; (2) self-referred PA members viewed timeout, timeout with spanking, and spanking as relatively more acceptable than did their demographically similar comparison group; and (3) court-referred PA parents' ratings did not significantly differ from their comparison group, since both groups rated the reinforcement method as significantly more acceptable than the other three discipline methods.     

The role of parental stress in physically abusive families

This study examines the role of several components of parental stress in physically abusive and nonabusive families with conduct-disordered children. The 123 families studied were seen in a parenting clinic aimed at improving parent-child interactions in families with a highly oppositional child. Data were collected over a several-week period and included both mother and father self-report measures and independent observations by trained researchers. Parental stress was found to play an important role in abusive families. Physically abusive families were significantly more often low income, had younger mothers with less education, more frequently reported a family history of child abuse, and were more likely to be abusing alcohol or drugs. Abusive mothers reported more stress due to frequent life events, and had a more negative perception of these events. Further, these mothers had higher rates of both depression and state anxiety. Abusive fathers spanked their children significantly more often than the nonabusive fathers, and abusive mothers had the highest frequency of critical statements directed at their children. Children from abusive households had significantly more behavior problems. Finally, abusive mothers reported more marital dissatisfaction and social isolation than their nonabusive counterparts.     

Rural classroom environments as contexts for teacher-child relationships

The authors examined the associations between observed classroom management and teacher-child relationships with individual children during kindergarten and Grade 1. We used a sample of nonstruggling and struggling readers and their teachers in rural schools in the Southeastern United States to examine whether gender and struggling reader status explained associations between classroom management and conflictual or close teacher-child relationships. After controlling for child- and teacher-level characteristics, results from multilevel model analyses indicated that stronger classroom management was significantly related to less teacher-rated conflict, but was not related to teacher-rated closeness. Gender was a significant moderator, with boys who were in classrooms with lower levels of classroom management having poorer teacher-child relationships as rated by their teachers. Struggling reader status was not a significant moderator of the association between classroom management and teacher-child relationships.     

Becoming a Parent of a Child with Special Needs: Perspectives from Korean Mothers Living in the United States

The current study aimed to explore how cultural contexts influence the attitudes of mothers raising children with disabilities. Semi-structured in-depth interviews of seven immigrant Korean mothers regarding their personal experiences within the complexities of the special education system in the United States were analysed to identify factors that help mothers to thrive in the face of numerous challenges they encountered when working with professionals from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Narratives revealed that support groups, parent–professional relationships and cultural norms served as motivational factors that encouraged mothers to take initiative in proactively seeking ways to meet the needs of their children. Findings highlight the importance of a professional’s genuine attitude and open-mindedness when approaching culturally and linguistically diverse families.     

Linking childhood sexual abuse and abusive parenting: the mediating role of maternal anger

OBJECTIVE: This study had two primary objectives: First, to examine the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and later parenting characteristics, particularly physical abuse potential, and second, to explore maternal anger as a mediator of the relationship between CSA and adult physical abuse potential. METHOD: Utilized a community sample of low SES participants that included 138 mothers classified as having experienced CSA, and a comparison group of 152 non-sexually abused mothers. Parenting variables examined included the mothers' physical abuse potential, nurturance toward their children, unrealistic developmental expectations of children, as well as frequencies of spanking and general punishment. Data was collected via interview and other self-report measures. RESULTS: Even after controlling for mothers' childhood experience of Physical abuse, CSA significantly predicted adult risk of physically abusing one's own children. Further, maternal anger was confirmed as a mediator of the relationship between having been sexually abused as a child and the potential for physically abusing one's own children. CONCLUSIONS: CSA may be a risk factor for subsequent physically abusive parenting, while anger appears to play a significant role in mediating this relationship. Findings are discussed in the context of current knowledge concerning the impact of child sexual abuse and the processes contributing to abusive parenting.     

A Mixed Methods Investigation of Maternal Perspectives on Transition Experiences in Early Care and Education

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: Strong relationships among children, families, and early care and education (ECE) providers are key to quality infant–toddler care. These relationships are shaped during the initial transition period to group care. We used a mixed methods approach to (a) assess maternal perspectives on the transition to group care, (b) explore mothers’ perceptions of factors that made for easy or difficult transitions, and (c) examine associations between maternal and child characteristics and the ease of the transition. Through qualitative interviews, mothers identified factors that played a role in their child’s transition, including the child’s age, the ECE provider’s support, and the number of transitions the child experienced. For mothers, an easy transition was characterized by ease of child adjustment to group care, comfort with nonparental care and returning to work, and being able to exercise some control over the transition. Quantitative analyses revealed that an easy child transition was associated with younger child age, low maternal distress reactions to child distress, and low child social fearfulness. Higher maternal depressive symptoms and maternal distress reactions to child distress were associated with mothers having a difficult transition. Practice or Policy: Implications of the findings for ECE provider training and ECE policy development related to transitions are discussed.