Publication Date

1992

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Milner, Joel S.

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Psychology

LCSH

Young women--Psychology; Adult child abuse victims--Social networks

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between retrospective reports of the receipt of childhood physical abuse and prepubertal perceptions of the availability of social support with self-reported levels of depression, trait anxiety, use of verbal and nonverbal aggression, empathic perspective-taking, and child abuse potential in young adult females. Six hundred and forty-two undergraduate females were screened, from which four demographical1y matched subject groups (n per cell = 15) were created (high support/no abuse, high support/abuse, low support/no abuse, low support/abuse). Differences between these four subject groups on measures of the socio-emotional variables of interest were analyzed in a series of 2 x 2 ANOVAs. As expected, results indicated significant relationships between prepubertal perceptions of available social support and subsequent levels of depression, trait anxiety, and child abuse potential, as well as a significant relationship between childhood receipt of physical abuse and subsequent adult child abuse potential. Contrary to a priori predictions, no significant interactions of childhood physical abuse and prepubertal perceptions of social support were found for the socio-emotional variables investigated.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [125]-140)

Extent

xii, 198 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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