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01-04-2008 | Original article

Effects of Perpetrator and Victim Gender on Negative Outcomes of Family Violence

Authors: Nicolette L. Howells, Alan Rosenbaum

Published in: Journal of Family Violence | Issue 3/2008

Abstract

Growing up in a violent home predisposes children to a host of behavioral and emotional difficulties. This study examined whether perpetrator and victim gender have an impact on depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior for victims of child physical abuse (CPA) and also with regard to witnessing interparental violence (IPV). This study also examined whether witnessing siblings being abused would elicit high levels of depressive symptoms and aggressive behavior. College students (n = 675) were assessed for both exposure to IPV and child physical abuse prior to age 18. Participants completed measures of depression and aggression. With regard to victims of CPA, participants victimized by both parents and those victimized by mothers only had significantly higher levels of aggression. For depressive symptoms, females having both parents as perpetrators or fathers only had significantly higher depressive symptoms. With regard to witnessing IPV, being abused by both parents was associated with endorsement of more aggression and depressive symptoms. With regard to witnessing sibling violence, the results were similar to those found for victims of CPA.

Literature in the area of family violence use the words gender and sex in this context. The word sex is often used by researchers to describe the biological sex of a person. However, the word gender is being used in this paper to refer to the biological sex of a person. Although some researchers suggest that the word gender describes more of a social construct, the word is being used in this paper to ensure that the reader understands that the biological sex of a person is what is being discussed as opposed to the behavior of sexual intercourse.

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Title: Effects of Perpetrator and Victim Gender on Negative Outcomes of Family Violence
Authors: Nicolette L. Howells
Alan Rosenbaum
Publication date: 01-04-2008
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Family Violence / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0885-7482
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2851
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-007-9144-5

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