PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSES OF SELF-REPORTED CHILD-ABUSERS

Citation
Sh. Dinwiddie et Kk. Bucholz, PSYCHIATRIC DIAGNOSES OF SELF-REPORTED CHILD-ABUSERS, Child abuse & neglect, 17(4), 1993, pp. 465-476
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Social Work
Journal title
ISSN journal
01452134
Volume
17
Issue
4
Year of publication
1993
Pages
465 - 476
Database
ISI
SICI code
0145-2134(1993)17:4<465:PDOSC>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
In order to evaluate lifetime psychiatric diagnoses and prevalence of dyssocial behaviors among self-reported child abusers, three large dat abases of clinical, community, and family study subjects were examined . Subjects who had acted as parents and who reported any episodes of c hild battery were compared to those without any history of child batte ry on prevalence of psychiatric disorders and dyssocial behaviors. Ove rall, 4% of subjects from the community sample reported child abuse. A busers not selected through alcoholism treatment were more likely to r eceive diagnoses of alcoholism, antisocial personality disorder, and m ajor depression. Those selected through alcoholism treatment were more likely to have antisocial personality disorder. Abusers in general we re found to have a history of disciplinary problems, property destruct ion, and as adults to engage in other violent behaviors. It was conclu ded that self-identified child abusers have increased lifetime rates o f antisocial personality disorder, alcoholism, and depression. The ass ociation between child abuse and other violence is not explained by se lection of cases through the medical or legal systems.