Child-to-parent violence (CPV), also recognized as

abuse Abuse is the act of improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, ...

of parents by their children, constitutes a manifestation of

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

characterized by the infliction of maltreatment upon parents. CPV can manifest in diverse forms, encompassing physical, verbal, psychological, emotional, and financial dimensions. The repercussions of enduring abuse from one's offspring can be substantial, exerting influence on the physical and mental

well-being Well-being is what is Intrinsic value (ethics), ultimately good for a person. Also called "welfare" and "quality of life", it is a measure of how well life is going for someone. It is a central goal of many individual and societal endeavors. ...

of parents, both in the immediate and prolonged periods.

Multiple causes of abusive behavior

Many people consider parental abuse to be the result of certain parenting practices,

neglect In the context of caregiving, neglect is a form of abuse where the perpetrator, who is responsible for caring for someone who is unable to care for themselves, fails to do so. It can be a result of carelessness, indifference, or unwillingness and ...

, or the child suffering abuse themselves, but other adolescent abusers have had "normal" upbringings and have not suffered from such situations. Children may be subjected to

violence Violence is characterized as the use of physical force by humans to cause harm to other living beings, or property, such as pain, injury, disablement, death, damage and destruction. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines violence a ...

on TV, in movies and in music, and that violence may come to be considered "normal". The breakdown of the family unit, poor or nonexistent relationships with an absent parent, as well as debt, unemployment, and parental

drug A drug is any chemical substance other than a nutrient or an essential dietary ingredient, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. Consumption of drugs can be via insufflation (medicine), inhalation, drug i ...

alcohol abuse Alcohol abuse encompasses a spectrum of alcohol-related substance abuse. This spectrum can range from being mild, moderate, or severe. This can look like consumption of more than 2 drinks per day on average for men, or more than 1 drink per ...

may all be contributing factors to abuse. Some other reasons for CPV according to several experts include: *Aggressive behavioral tendencies *Frustration or inability to deal with problems *Unable or unwilling to learn how to manage behavior *Witnessing other abuses at home *Lack of respect for a parent because of perceived weakness * Lack of consequences for bad behavior *Being abused themselves * Gang culture *Not being able to properly care for a disabled or mentally ill parent(s) *Revenge or punishment *

Mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

Corporal punishment A corporal punishment or a physical punishment is a punishment which is intended to cause physical pain to a person. When it is inflicted on Minor (law), minors, especially in home and school settings, its methods may include spanking or Padd ...

History

Parental abuse is a relatively new term. In 1979, Harbin and Madden released a study using the term "parent battery" but

juvenile delinquency Juvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, is the act of participating in unlawful behavior younger than the statutory age of majority. These acts would be considered crimes if the individuals committing them were older. The term ...

, which is a major factor, has been studied since the late 19th century. Even though some studies have been done in the United States,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, Canada, and other countries, the lack of reporting of adolescent abuse towards parents makes it difficult to accurately determine the extent of it. Many studies have to rely on self-reporting by adolescents. In 2004, Robinson, of Brigham Young University, published: ''Parent Abuse on the Rise: A Historical Review'' in the American Association of Behavioral Social Science Online Journal, reporting the results of the 1988 study performed by Evans and Warren-Sohlberg. The results reported that 57% of parental abuse was physical; using a weapon was at 17%; throwing items was at 5% and verbal abuse was at 22%. With 82% of the abuse being against mothers (five times greater than against fathers), and 11% of the abusers were under the age of 10 years. The highest rate of abuse happens within families with a single mother. Mothers are usually the primary caregivers; they spend more time with their children than fathers and have closer emotional connections to them. It can also be due to the size and strength of the abuser. Parental abuse can occur in any family and it is not necessarily associated with ethnic background, socio-economic class, or

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...

. Numerous studies concluded that gender does not play a role in the total number of perpetrators; however, males are more likely to inflict physical abuse and females are more likely to inflict emotional abuse. Studies from the United States estimate that violence among adolescents peaks at 15–17 years old. However, a Canadian study done by Barbara Cottrell in 2001 suggests the ages are 12–14 years old. Parental abuse does not happen just inside the home but can in public places, further adding to the humiliation of the parents. Abuse is not only a domestic affair but can be

criminal In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

as well. Most teenagers experience a transition in which they try to go from being dependent to independent, but there are some dynamics of parental control that may alter it. There will always be times of resistance toward parental authority. According to the Canadian National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, the abuse generally begins with verbal abuse, but even then, some females can be very physically abusive towards a child who is smaller and more vulnerable than they are, and to cover their abuse, they often lie to the other parent about actual events that led to "severe punishment." The child, adolescent or parent may show no remorse or guilt and feel justified in the behavior, but many times when the child is the one who is being abused, they are very remorseful for being forced to defend themselves, especially when they are not the aggressor. Parents can examine the behavior of their children to determine whether or not it is abusive. Some teenagers can become aggressive as a result of parental abuse, dysfunction, or psychological problems, while some children may have trouble dealing with their emotions. However, children who are abused are not always afforded protection from their abusive parents.

Intervention

Non-violent resistance (NVR) is an approach designed to overcome a child’s aggressive, controlling, and self-destructive behaviors. In NVR, parents replace talking with action, not engaging with aggressive or harmful behaviors. With the support of therapists and other counselors, it is possible to identify mental health and other behavioral concerns throughout this process. It has four areas where parents are supported by therapists or other counselors: #

De-escalation De-escalation refers to the methods and actions taken to decrease the severity of a conflict, whether of physical, verbal or another nature. It is the opposite of escalation. De-escalation may also refer to approaches in conflict resolution, b ...

#Breaking taboos #Taking non-violent actions #Reconciliation gestures While intervention is an option, it may not always work. There are times when the child has a mental illness that does not allow them, adolescent or teenager, to understand what exactly is happening. Therefore, they act out their emotions the only way they know. This can present itself as violence, emotional abuse, destructive behavior, such as destroying personal property or self-harm. The United States currently protects abused children using Courts, Child Protective Services and other agencies. The US also has

Adult Protective Services In the United States, Adult Protective Services (APS) is a government agency that investigates allegations of a vulnerable adult being or having been abused, neglected, or exploited by their caregivers. APS is typically administered by local or ...

which is provided to abused, neglected, or exploited older adults and adults with significant disabilities. There are no agencies or programs that protect parents from abusive children, adolescents or teenagers other than giving up their parental rights to the state they live in. Lastly, the quality of family relationships directly influences child-to-parent violence, with power-assertive discipline playing a mediating role in this connection. It appears that the emotional aspect and overall quality of family relationships are pivotal factors in preventing violent behaviors.

Multiple causes of abusive behavior

History

Intervention

See also

References

Further reading