The development of abusive personality: A trauma response

This article contains a review and counseling implications for an article t itled "Witnessing Parental Violence as a Traumatic Experience Shaping the A busive Personality" by Donald Dutton (2000). Dutton contends that the early combination of witnessing or directly experiencing violence, shaming, and insecure attachment contributes to the development of abusive personality i n males. These individuals experience great difficulty in modulating aggres sion toward others. In particular, children who witness interpersonal viole nce have a greater likelihood of becoming partner abusers than do children who are victims of violence.