Dissociation as a mediator between child abuse history and adult abuse potential

Objective: It has commonly been found that abused children are at risk for later becoming abusive parents (Kaufman & Zigler, 1987; Oliver, 1993) and o bservational learning has been discussed as a mechanism that perpetuates th is intergenerational cycle of abuse. However, two thirds of abused children do not become abusive (Kaufman & Zigler, 1987). Thus, the goal of the curr ent study was to examine whether dissociation functions as an additional me chanism mediating the relation between a history of child abuse and abusive ness as an adult. Method: A cross-sectional design was used to examine physical abuse history , dissociation, and physical abuse potential in a sample of 190 college stu dents. Questionnaires were utilized to assess the three constructs. Results: Findings indicated that the three constructs were intercorrelated. In particular, a newly established association was found between dissociat ion and physical abuse potential (r = .54, p < .0001). The primary finding was that the relation between physical abuse history and physical abuse pot ential was significantly mediated (z = 2.19, p < .05) by level of dissociat ion, with dissociation accounting for approximately half of the observed re lation between history of abuse and abuse potential. Conclusion: Results suggested that dissociation may be one mechanism that h elps to perpetuate the intergenerational cycle of abuse. Although dissociat ion promotes psychological survival during children's abuse experiences, it may result in the development of abusive tendencies in later life. Reducin g parental dissociation may assist clinicians in preventing or terminating physical child abuse. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.