| In order to understand the impact of child abuse on adult adjustment, the influence of family and child-rearing variables must be examined. In addition, similarities noted in the consequences of different types of child abuse suggest that exploring specific types of abuse to the exclusion of other types may lead to confounded results. Furthermore, the co-occurrence of different forms of child abuse must be examined. The present study explores the influence of parenting and family factors on the long-term consequences of child sexual, physical, and compound abuse. A review of the long-term consequences of child sexual and physical abuse are presented followed by an examination of child-rearing as it relates to overall adjustment and to the consequences of child abuse.;A heterogenous general population sample of 175 females and 100 males completed the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, the Family Environment Scale, the Parent Behavior Report, and the Demographic Questionnaire. Participants were separated into four abuse groups (Sexual Abuse Only, Physical Abuse Only, Compound Abuse, and No Abuse) depending on specific criteria.;The results of this study indicate that persons who have experienced compound abuse, or both physical and sexual abuse, reveal significantly more negative outcome in terms of distress, depression, and self-esteem than those who have not experienced child abuse. In addition, multiple regression analyses revealed that family cohesion consistently emerged as the best predictor of adult outcome beyond what is predicted by the experience of abuse. Furthermore, for females, family cohesion appeared to mediate the relationship between the experience of compound abuse and adult adjustment in terms of distress and self-esteem. The influence of self-esteem on adjustment is addressed. Implications of the study and future directions for research are discussed. |
