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Maternal substance abuse and victimization
among battered women in New York City
Jospitre, T., Sage, R.E., Griffing, S., Chu, M., Madry,
L. & Primm, B.J.
Presented at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence
in Orlando, FL (June 2005) |
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This study investigated the relationship between parental substance
abuse (specifically maternal) and current, as well as childhood victimization
among female residents (N=277) of two inner-city domestic violence
shelters. The mean age of survivors was 26.84 years (SD = 6.56), and
they were predominately Black (62.1%) and Latina (32.6%). As predicted,
independent sample t-tests revealed that survivors with substance
abusing parents (n=23) experienced higher levels of childhood emotional
abuse and neglect, childhood physical abuse and neglect, and childhood
sexual abuse, when compared to survivors with non-substance abusing
parents (n=176). Interestingly, only maternal substance abuse was
associated with survivors' current emotional and physical abuse by
an intimate partner. Furthermore, results revealed that more than
half of all substance-abusing mothers (52%) had been victims of intimate
partner violence, to which participants had been exposed during childhood.
Clinical implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.
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