| This study examined the relationship between several cognitive risk factors and physical abuse potential in a sample of 63 mothers, each of whose child was receiving psychotherapy for an externalizing behavior disorder. Physical abuse potential was measured by three outcome measures: the Child Abuse Potential Inventory, the Parenting Scale, and the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale. The cognitive risk factors identified to predict abuse potential were empathy or perspective-taking, locus of control, frustration tolerance, child development expectations, and parent attachment to the child. The Child Behavior Checklist was utilized as an indicator, independent of the therapist's assessment, of whether the child had an externalizing behavior disorder. Each child's therapist verified, from a checklist of DSM-IV externalizing behavior diagnoses, the child's diagnoses. Demographic variables (age, level of education, and income) were also included as predictors. The results of this study indicated that age and income were significant predictors of abuse potential. Empathy or perspective-taking, locus of control, and frustration tolerance were the significant cognitive risk factor predictors of abuse potential. Level of education, child development expectations, and parental attachment to the child were found to be nonsignificant and did not account for abuse risk. |
