Retrospective Reports of Interparental Abuse by Adult Children From Intact Families

Abstract

Previous investigations of the effects of interparental abuse on adult children's self-esteem and closeness to their parents have included participants from both intact and divorced homes. The present study examined retrospective reports of adult children from intact families regarding the effects of both the verbal and physical abuse tactics they remembered occurring between each of their parents. These participants reported relatively lower levels of interparental physical and verbal abuse tactics than participants in previous studies had reported. Whereas abuse tactics were found to negatively influence reports of current closeness with parents, fathers' verbal abuse tactics were positively related to closeness with mothers.

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