Citation

Kuper JL, Turanovic JJ. Crime Delinq. 2020; 66(3): 337-362.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0011128719850499

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Physical abuse in childhood places individuals at risk for many behavioral and mental health problems in adulthood. Nevertheless, not all abused children will ultimately experience these negative outcomes. Using a subsample of physically abused youth from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we examined whether protective and risk factors in adolescence (intelligence, family attachments, and neighborhood disadvantage) explained why some victims fared better in early adulthood. Outcomes of violent offending, depressive symptoms, and low self-esteem were examined. Family attachments were found to be protective against depressive symptoms and low self-esteem, while the effects of intelligence were more limited. These findings emphasize that there is marked variability in how physically abused children fare in early adulthood.

Language: en