An Examination of Pathways From Childhood Victimization to Violence: The Role of Early Aggression and Problematic Alcohol Use

Using prospective data from a cohort design study involving documented cases of child abuse and neglect and a matched control group, we examine two potential pathways between childhood victimization and violent criminal behavior: early aggressive behavior and problematic drinking. Structural equatio...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Violence and victims 2006-12, Vol.21 (6), p.675-690
Main Authors: Widom, Cathy Spatz, Schuck, Amie M., White, Helene Raskin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aggression
Aggressiveness
Alcohol use
Alcoholism
Behavioral Sciences
Child Abuse
Child abuse & neglect
Child Neglect
Child, Preschool
Cohort Studies
Counseling
Crime
Female
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Marriage and Family Counselling
Midwestern United States
Models, Theoretical
Policy, Social Justice, and Human Rights
Prospective Studies
Psychology
Social and Personality Psychology
Social Work
Victimization
Violence
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Using prospective data from a cohort design study involving documented cases of child abuse and neglect and a matched control group, we examine two potential pathways between childhood victimization and violent criminal behavior: early aggressive behavior and problematic drinking. Structural equation models, including controls for race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, parental alcoholism, and parental criminality, revealed different pathways for men and women. For men, child maltreatment has direct and indirect (through aggressive behavior and problematic alcohol use) paths to violence. For women, problematic alcohol use mediates the relationship between childhood victimization and violence, and, independent of child maltreatment, early aggression leads to alcohol problems, which lead to violence. Interventions for victims of childhood maltreatment need to recognize the role of early aggressive behavior and alcohol problems as risk factors for subsequent violence.
ISSN:0886-6708
1945-7073
DOI:10.1891/0886-6708.21.6.675