Differential Profile of Specialist Aggressor versus Generalist Aggressor in Child-to-Parent Violence

María J Navas-Martínez; M Carmen Cano-Lozano

doi:10.3390/ijerph19095720

Differential Profile of Specialist Aggressor versus Generalist Aggressor in Child-to-Parent Violence

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 8;19(9):5720. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19095720.

Authors

María J Navas-Martínez¹, M Carmen Cano-Lozano¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain.

Abstract

Research on violence in general highlights the need to differentiate between those aggressors who only show specialized violence in the family context and those who also show generalized violence in other contexts outside the family. However, in the phenomenon of child-to-parent violence (CPV), the distinctive characteristics of this profile have not been yet analyzed. The aim of this study was to identify the typology of specialist aggressor versus the typology of generalist aggressor and examine whether they differ in their characteristics. A total of 1559 CPV aggressors participated, with ages between 12 and 18 years, of whom 22.4% exerted violence only towards parents (specialist aggressors) and 77.6% also exerted violence towards peers (generalist aggressors). The results show that specialized violence and generalized violence seem to follow different patterns according to age. The generalists were characterized by a more negative profile than the specialists. Specifically, the former showed more CPV and for more reasons, both reactive and proactive. Regarding individual characteristics, they obtained lower levels of emotional intelligence and resilience. Concerning family characteristics, they presented higher levels of insecure parental attachment and parental violence (direct and observed). The predictive variables retained in the regression model represented approximately 16.4% of the variation in the type of aggressor. This study supports the classification based on the specificity versus generality of violence, as it was found that specialist and generalist CPV aggressors differ significantly in their characteristics. It is considered that the findings could help to identify the differential mechanisms through which both types of aggressors have developed CPV. Further analysis of this profile can be of great use for the design of intervention and prevention programs adapted to the needs of each typology.

Keywords: adolescents; child-to-parent violence; generalist aggressors; specialist aggressors; violence profiles.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Domestic Violence*
Humans
Violence*

Grants and funding

This research was funded by a financial aid from Research Support Plan of the University of Jaén, 2019–2020, grant number EI_SEJ8_2019, and by a Predoctoral Fellowship for Research Personnel Development of the University of Jaén, grant number R6/04/2018.