Prolonged Infant Crying: Caregiving Quality and Child Physical Abuse Risk.

Research suggests that prolonged infant crying may increase risk for child physical abuse (CPA). However, few studies have examined behavioral responses to infant crying among parents at risk for CPA. The present study sought to fill this gap by using a simulated infant to examine how mothers and fathers with varying degrees of CPA risk respond to prolonged infant crying. Specifically, a sample of 184 general population caregivers (107 mothers and 77 fathers) participated in a task that involved attempting to soothe a simulated infant that cried continuously for 30 min. The simulated infant sessions were video-recorded, and quality of caregiving behavior was coded in 5-min segments. Participants rated their negative affect (feelings of upset, distress, irritability) at the outset of the data collection session, before beginning the simulated infant task, and after the simulated infant task concluded. It was predicted that high-risk caregivers, compared to low-risk caregivers, would display lower quality caregiving, higher levels of negative affect, and that CPA risk group differences would increase over time. Gender differences were explored in relation to the aforementioned hypotheses. Over the course of the 30-min simulated infant task, the quality of caregiving behavior diminished among both high- and low-risk caregivers. As expected, high-risk caregivers, compared to low-risk caregivers, exhibited lower quality caregiving behaviors and were more likely to discontinue the simulated infant task early. In addition, high-risk, compared to low-risk, caregivers reported higher levels of negative affect throughout the data collection session, with the highest level of negative affect reported by high-risk caregivers after completing the simulated infant task. Overall, the quality of caregiving exhibited by men and women did not significantly differ. The present findings highlight the importance of early intervention designed to support caregivers' abilities to respond effectively to prolonged infant crying.

Do High-Risk Parents Use More Aggression During Competitive Play With Children?

The present study examined the extent to which the aggressive tendencies of parents at risk for perpetrating child physical abuse (CPA) generalize to situations other than discipline-related encounters (e.g., a competitive gaming interaction). Participants included parents who were either low (n = 90) or high (n = 75) risk for CPA. Parents were led to believe that they were playing a game against a child opponent with whom they exchanged sound blasts of varying intensities. Parental sound blast selections served as a proxy for aggressive behavior. Parents were randomly assigned to high or low loss conditions. The fictitious child opponent's responses were pre-programed so that sound blasts received by parents became louder (i.e., more provocative) over time. As predicted, high CPA risk parents exhibited higher levels of aggression than low CPA risk parents. Moreover, high-risk parents reported having higher levels of aggressive motives during the game than low-risk parents; and aggressive motives explained the link between parental CPA risk and parents' aggressive behavior. With one exception, higher levels of child provocation during the game prompted parents to send higher levels of sound blasts. The exception to this pattern occurred among low-risk parents who experienced high rates of loss during the game. Specifically, low-risk parents in the high loss condition continued to send low levels of sound blasts even as their child opponent became more provocative. Aggressive motives (and the ability to change motives as situations change) may help explain differences in aggressive tendencies evinced by parents with varying levels of CPA risk.

Examining the Relationship Between Economic Abuse and Mental Health Among Latina Intimate Partner Violence Survivors in the United States.

Currently, Latinos constitute the second largest and fastest growing minority group in the United States. Among this population, one in every six Latinas experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in her lifetime. Research has documented significant detrimental effects of physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological IPV on the physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being of various cultural/ethnic groups; however, few studies have focused on economic abuse, which may include tactics of economic control, economic exploitation, and employment sabotage. Research examining economic abuse against racial/ethnic minorities, particularly Latinos, is needed. To address these gaps, baseline data from a larger treatment outcome study were used to examine the associations between economic abuse and the mental health symptoms reported by 245 Latina IPV survivors in the United States. When examining the economic abuse experiences reported by Latinas in this sample, the results indicated that the most commonly reported form of economic abuse was economic control (e.g., restricting access to money and financial information). Multiple regression analyses revealed that economic abuse did not uniquely predict mental health after accounting for other forms of IPV victimization and sociodemographic characteristics. Limitations of this study are discussed, and directions for future research designed to enhance our understanding of economic abuse against various racial/ethnic groups (such as Latinas) are presented.

Perceived Executive Functioning in Parents at Risk for Child Physical Abuse.

Research suggests that deficits in executive functioning are associated with negative parenting behaviors. However, limited research has examined the link between executive functioning and risk for child physical abuse (CPA) perpetration. Early studies examining executive functioning in parents at risk for perpetrating CPA relied on performance-based measures, which are designed to occur under carefully controlled conditions and may not capture difficulties experienced under less optimal conditions (e.g., during chaotic caregiving situations). Moreover, prior studies examining executive functioning in parents at risk for perpetrating CPA have relied on small samples comprised of only mothers. To advance our understanding of the linkage between executive functioning and CPA risk, the present study examined perceived deficits in executive functioning in a sample of general population mothers and fathers (N = 98) using a standardized self-report measure of executive functioning, namely, the adult version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-A). Parents were classified as low CPA risk or high CPA risk using the Child Abuse Potential Inventory. Compared with low-risk parents, high-risk parents had higher rates of clinical elevations on several BRIEF-A subscales, namely, Working Memory Problems, Emotional Control Difficulties, and Difficulties Shifting Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors. These findings highlight the potential importance of assessing and strengthening executive functioning in interventions designed to reduce risk of parent-to-child aggression.

Do hostile attributions and negative affect explain the association between authoritarian beliefs and harsh parenting?

The present study examined the associations between authoritarian parenting beliefs, attributions of hostile intent, negative affect, and harsh parenting practices. General population parents (N=183; 31.1% fathers) completed self-report measures of authoritarian parenting beliefs and read vignettes describing children engaging in transgressions. Following each vignette, parents indicated the extent to which they would attribute hostile intent to the child, feel negative affect, and respond with harsh parenting practices (e.g., yelling, hitting). As hypothesized, parents who subscribed to higher levels of authoritarian beliefs attributed more hostile intent to the child and expected to feel more negative affect in response to the transgressions. In turn, higher levels of hostile attributions and negative affect were associated with increased likelihood of harsh parenting practices. Results from a path analysis revealed that the association between authoritarian parenting beliefs and harsh parenting practices was fully explained by attributions of hostile intent and negative affect.