Abstract
The objective of this study was to provide a psychological profile of parents who have been formally accused of child maltreatment.
A clinical group of 16 parents accused of physical abuse and 22 parents accused of neglect were compared with 18 parents from
a control group. The MCMI-III was administered individually for each parent. Both groups of maltreatment showed significant
differences on different scales of the MCMI-III. No difference was seen between the parents of both groups of child maltreatment.
Many parents of both child maltreatment groups reported at least one form of abuse during their childhood, suggesting that
a childhood marked by abuse or neglect on the part of a parent could result in personality disorders and that these disorders
may have something to do with the intergenerational transmission of abuse.
A clinical group of 16 parents accused of physical abuse and 22 parents accused of neglect were compared with 18 parents from
a control group. The MCMI-III was administered individually for each parent. Both groups of maltreatment showed significant
differences on different scales of the MCMI-III. No difference was seen between the parents of both groups of child maltreatment.
Many parents of both child maltreatment groups reported at least one form of abuse during their childhood, suggesting that
a childhood marked by abuse or neglect on the part of a parent could result in personality disorders and that these disorders
may have something to do with the intergenerational transmission of abuse.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s10896-011-9403-3
- Authors
- David Fontaine, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, P.O. Box 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada G9A 5H7
- Pierre Nolin, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, P.O. Box 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada G9A 5H7
- Journal Journal of Family Violence
- Online ISSN 1573-2851
- Print ISSN 0885-7482