The Social Ecology of Adolescent-Initiated Parent Abuse: A Review of the Literature

This article provides an ecological framework for understanding adolescent-initiated parent abuse. We review research on adolescent-initiated parent abuse, identifying sociodemographic characteristics of perpetrators and victims (e.g., gender, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status [SES]). Br...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child psychiatry and human development 2012-06, Vol.43 (3), p.431-454
Main Authors: Hong, Jun Sung, Kral, Michael J., Espelage, Dorothy L., Allen-Meares, Paula
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abuse
Adolescent
Adolescents
Adult
Age Factors
Aggression
Aggression - psychology
Aggressiveness
Antisocial Behavior
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Bibliographic Databases
Biological and medical sciences
Child & adolescent psychiatry
Child Abuse
Child abuse & neglect
Child and School Psychology
Child Behavior
Child Rearing
Childrearing Practices
Continental Population Groups
Delinquency Prevention
Departments
Domestic Violence - psychology
Domestic Violence - statistics & numerical data
Ecological Factors
Ecology
Educational Psychology
Environmental Factors
Ethnicity
Family environment. Family history
Family Structure
Family Violence
Female
Gender Differences
Gender roles
Humans
Juvenile Justice
Literature Reviews
Male
Medical sciences
Methods Research
Parent Child Relationship
Parent-Child Relations
Parenting - psychology
Parenting Skills
Parents
Parents & parenting
Peer Group
Peer Influence
Peer relationships
Psychiatry
Psychology
Psychology, Adolescent
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Resistance (Psychology)
Review Paper
Risk
Risk Factors
Selection Criteria
Sex Factors
Sex Role
Social Environment
Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry
Socialization
Socioeconomic Factors
Socioeconomic Status
Systems Approach
Victimology
Victims of Crime
Violence
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Description
Summary:This article provides an ecological framework for understanding adolescent-initiated parent abuse. We review research on adolescent-initiated parent abuse, identifying sociodemographic characteristics of perpetrators and victims (e.g., gender, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status [SES]). Bronfenbrenner’s [ 1 ] ecological systems theory is applied, which examines the risk and protective factors for adolescent-initiated parent abuse within micro - (maltreatment, domestic violence, parenting behavior and disciplinary strategies), meso - (peer influence), exo - (media influence), macro - (gender role socialization), and chrono system (change in family structure) levels. Findings from our review suggest that older and White children are significantly more likely to abuse their parents. Females are selective in the target of their aggression, while males target family members in general. Mothers are significantly more likely to be abused than fathers. However, researchers also report variations in the association between SES and parent abuse. Domestic violence and child maltreatment are risk factors, while findings on parenting behavior and disciplinary strategies are mixed. Peer influence, exposure to media violence, gender role socialization, and change in family structure can potentially increase the risk of parent abuse. Practice and research implications are also discussed. An ecological systems framework allows for an examination of how various contexts interact and influence parent abuse behavior, and can provide needed directions for further research.
ISSN:0009-398X
1573-3327
DOI:10.1007/s10578-011-0273-y