Child abusive parents' physiological responses to stressful and non-stressful behavior in children
Seven abusive and seven matched nonabusive mothers were shown videotaped scenes involving stressful and nonstressful behavior in children. Three physiological measures (skin conductance response magnitude, heart rate, and respiration) were monitored before, during, and after each scene presentation to assess the mothers' arousal to these stimuli. Comparison of abusive and nonabusive mothers revealed significant group by scene interactions on the skin conductance and respiration measures. Skin conductance response magnitudes indicated greater emotional arousal for the abusive group during the stressful scenes. Respiration data showed that abusers remained more aroused than controls during both stressful and nonstressful scenes. The relationship between the parents' arousal to stressful child behavior and subsequent aggression is supported by these findings, and implications for intervention are discussed. © 1983.
