Citation

Gold J, Sullivan MW, Lewis M. Child Abuse Negl. 2011; 35(7): 459-467.

Affiliation

Institute for the Study of Child Development, Department of Pediatrics, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 97 Paterson St., New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.chiabu.2011.02.007

PMID

21783253

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: While the relationship between abusive parenting and violent delinquency has been well established, the cognitive and emotional processes by which this occurs remain relatively unidentified. The objective of this work is to apply a conceptual model linking abusive parenting to the conversion of shame into blaming others and therefore to violent delinquency. METHODS: A retrospective study of 112 adolescents (90 male; 22 female; ages 12-19 years; M=15.6; SD=1.4) who were incarcerated in a juvenile detention facility pending criminal charges, completed measures of exposure to abusive and nonabusive discipline, expressed and converted shame, and violent delinquency. RESULTS: Findings tend to confirm the conceptual model. Subjects who converted shame (i.e., low expressed shame, high blaming others) tended to have more exposure to abusive parenting and showed more violent delinquent behavior than their peers who showed expressed shame. Subjects who showed expressed shame (i.e., high expressed shame, low blaming others) showed less violent delinquency than those who showed converted shame. CONCLUSIONS: Abusive parenting impacts delinquency directly and indirectly through the effects of shame that is converted. Abusive parenting leads to the conversion of shame to blaming others, which in turn leads to violent delinquent behavior. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: For juvenile offenders, the conversion of shame into blaming others appears to contribute to pathological outcomes in relation to trauma. Translation of this work into clinical practice is recommended.

Language: en