title: Wife abuse as it affects work behavior in a center for mentally retarded persons.
abstract: This study examined differences between conjugally abused and nonabused female employees at a state-supported ICF/MR residential facility in relation to the potential for client abuse, absenteeism rates, and performance ratings. The research was conducted at a rural institution for mentally retarded persons at which approximately 72% of the workforce was female. A survey package composed of demographic questions, the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (Milner, 1980), and other self-report questions that concerned abuse was distributed to all permanent female employees. The survey return rate was 31.7%. Analysis of the data indicated a significant difference between CAP scores for emotionally and physically abused women and their nonabused counterparts (p less than .01). When a CAP score of 215 was used as a cut-off, 44% of the abused women were classified into the potential abuser category. No significant differences were revealed between categories of abuse and measures of absenteeism or performance appraisal scores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Poteat
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Cope
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Choate
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Grossnickle
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D010559:Personnel Management; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology*