Parent characteristics in abusing and nonabusing families

Fifty‐five parents representing 37 families in which physical child abuse occurred were compared to the same number of non‐abusing families matched on SES and other demographic variables. Additional comparisons were made of mothers and fathers, and perpetrators and their spouses, with their respective controls. Mothers from abusing families experienced lower self‐esteem and less family cohesion and expression, expected slower development of their children, and reported more anxiety and family conflict; fathers from abusing families reported less family cohesion and moral/religious emphasis, expected slower development of their children, and reported more family conflict; perpetrators of abuse experienced more anxiety, impact of life stress, and family conflict while reporting less family cohesion and expression, and expected slower development of their children; and non‐perpetrating spouses reported more family conflict, and expected slower development of their children, than controls. Covariate analyses were performed to correct for differences in maternal education between groups. The importance of evaluating characteristics of fathers and mothers separately, of clearly identifying the perpetrating parent, and of studying the spouse of the perpetrator is discussed from methodological, theoretical and applied viewpoints.