The escalation and maintenance of child abuse: A cybernetic model

A cybernetic model of child abuse is presented as a contribution to the theoretical literature on child abuse. The child's role in his or her own abuse is stressed; interaction between caretaker and child is emphasized. While the origins of abuse are discussed, the focus of the paper is on the maintenance and escalation of the pattern of abusive interaction. The author proposes to explain this pattern-maintenance through the application of Gregory Bateson's concept of schismogenesis, or regenerative feedback, a concept derived from cybernetics and family systems theory. Suggestions for intervention in this process are discussed in the conclusion.