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Physically violent mothers are a reason for young people's leaving home

Authors :
Mallett, Shelley
Rosenthal, Doreen
Source :
Journal of Interpersonal Violence. July, 2009, Vol. 24 Issue 7, p1165, 10 p.
Publication Year :
2009

Abstract

In a qualitative study, 302 homeless young people (aged 12 to 20 years) were asked to discuss their reasons for leaving home. Some 103 youth cited physical violence by a parent or stepparent, and of these, 39 cited their mother's or stepmother's violence as the reason for leaving home. Females were more likely than males to report being the target of violence by their mother; however, the converse was true for stepmothers. Several discrete reasons for maternal violence were identified, including maternal personal characteristics and behaviors, issues associated with blended families, or young people's own behavior. In some cases, young people reported violence by both parents. Their attributions of maternal violence centered on a single dimension of the mother/stepmother or her relationship with a partner. They rarely discussed the contribution that they had made to the conflict or acknowledged the social context that may have been a catalyst for violence. Keywords: homeless youth; maternal violence; family conflict; pathways

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
08862605
Volume :
24
Issue :
7
Database :
Gale General OneFile
Journal :
Journal of Interpersonal Violence
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsgcl.202072960