Assessment of coping strategies of child abusing mothers.
OBJECTIVE
Mothers who had physically abused their children were assessed to determine whether these mothers had a general coping skills deficit.


METHODS
Abusing mothers (n = 17) were compared to nonabusing mothers of conduct problem children (n = 16). Coping was measured by several methods, each designed to address the insufficiencies of the others.


RESULTS
In comparison to the nonabusing mothers, independent ratings indicated that abusing mothers exhibited a pattern of coping characterized by greater use of emotion-focused coping strategies and less use of effective problem-focused strategies. Finally, using self report ratings of coping, abusing mothers perceived their coping to be more ineffective than the nonabusing mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
The possibility that the observed coping skills deficit may be indicative of a deficit in emotional responding to stress was discussed and suggestions were given for therapeutic interventions with child abusing mothers.
Cantos
A L
AL
Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA.
Neale
J M
JM
O'Leary
K D
KD
Gaines
R W
RW
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D011340:Problem Solving; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological