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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study by Widom was to provide a response and counter-critique to DiLalla and Gottesman's (1991) criticism of Widom's (1989) past literature review on connections between child abuse, neglect and violent behavior.
METHODOLOGY:
This article was designed to defend the exclusion of biological and genetic studies from a previous literature review on child abuse, neglect and violent behavior. The strong connections between genetic factors and violence stressed by DiLalla and Gottesman was disputed as overstated.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
While this study acknowledged the importance of biological and genetic research on violence, very little research was found which focused on the biological or genetic influences on child abuse, neglect and violent behavior. This study pointed out that, despite DiLalla and Gottesman contrary conclusions, there was very little evidence of connections between genetics and delinquency, criminality and violent behavior. Widom also critiqued DiLalla and Gottesman for ignoring a large segment of the biological literature focused on such subjects as: neuropsychological deficits, frontal lobe functioning and episodic dyscontrol. This study further criticized DiLalla and Gottesman's assumption that increases in delinquency during adolescence provides conclusive evidence that this behavior was based on increases in hormone levels. This study suggested stronger sex role differentiation during adolescence as an as likely explanation. This study concluded that DiLalla and Gottesman overstated the relationship between genetic factors and violent behavior.
AUTHOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS:
The author suggested the need for researchers to continue crossing "disciplinary boundaries" to develop research strategies and theoretical frameworks (p.131). (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - Domestic Violence Effects
KW - Domestic Violence Victim
KW - Child Abuse Victim
KW - Child Abuse Effects
KW - Child Victim
KW - Juvenile Offender
KW - Juvenile Violence
KW - Adult Offender
KW - Adult Violence
KW - Intergenerational Transmission of Violence
KW - Biological Factors
KW - Genetic Factors
KW - Juvenile Violence
KW - Juvenile Offender
KW - Juvenile Delinquency
KW - Juvenile Crime
KW - Adult Crime
KW - Adult Violence
KW - Adult Offender
KW - Violence Causes
KW - Crime Causes
KW - Delinquency Causes
KW - Literature Review
KW - Professional Criticism
Language: en |