TY - JOUR PY - 2005// TI - Significance of family risk factors in development of childhood animal cruelty in adolescent boys with conduct problems JO - Journal of family violence A1 - Duncan, Alexander A1 - Thomas, Jay C. A1 - Miller, Catherine SP - 235 EP - 239 VL - 20 IS - 4 N2 - The literature suggests that physical child abuse, sexual child abuse, paternal alcoholism, paternal unavailability, and domestic violence may be significant in development of childhood animal cruelty. Two groups of early- to late adolescent boys (CTA and N-CTA) in residential treatment for conduct disorder were compared in the current study on histories of these family risk factors. The adolescents in Group 1 were comprised of boys who had conduct problems with documented histories of animal cruelty (n = 50; CTA). Group 2 consisted of adolescent boys (n = 50; N-CTA) with conduct problems, but without documented histories of animal cruelty. Results showed that children in the CTA group had significantly greater histories of physical and/or sexual child abuse and domestic violence in comparison to children in the N-CTA group. These results suggest that physical and/or sexual abuse to a child, and exposure to domestic violence, may be significant in the development of childhood animal cruelty.

LA - en SN - 0885-7482 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10896-005-5987-9 ID - ref1 ER -