Citation

Duncan A, Miller C. Aggress. Violent Behav. 2002; 7(4): 365-383.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S1359-1789(01)00064-7

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper reviews the literature that addresses the impact of an abusive family context on childhood animal cruelty and adult violence. In the first section, literature is presented that outlines possible abusive family contextual factors associated with childhood animal cruelty and adult violence. In the second section, theories presented in the literature conjecturing about the impact of an abusive family context on childhood animal cruelty and adult violence are reviewed. Section 3 addresses the predictive validity of an abusive family context on adult violence. In the final section, assessment measures and interventions of childhood animal cruelty are discussed. Such discussion focuses on the acknowledgement of an abusive family context in the assessment and intervention of childhood animal cruelty. Overall, the literature suggests that an abusive family context may be a better predictor of adult violence than childhood animal cruelty.