Parenting behaviors and perceived parenting competence of child sexual abuse survivors.
OBJECTIVE
This paper reports data testing two alternative hypotheses: (1) the relationship between child sexual abuse and subsequent parenting attitudes and behaviors is a function of the third variable, growing up experiences other than CSA; and (2) maternal depression mediates the relationship between CSA and the same parenting variables.


METHODS
The current study was a retrospective survey of 516 very low-income, urban mothers. Parenting was assessed with three measures: The Parenting Competence Scale and the verbal and severe violence subscales of the Conflict Tactics Scale.


RESULTS
Findings for two of the dependent variables, perceived parenting competence and severe violence, supported the third variable hypothesis. The mediational hypothesis was not supported for any of the parenting indicators.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings regarding the third variable hypothesis are discrepant from those of the one earlier study that tested this hypothesis, suggesting that before conclusions can be drawn regarding the effect of CSA on parenting further research is in order.
Zuravin
S J
SJ
University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore 21201-1777, USA.
Fontanella
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population