Assessment of coping strategies of child abusing mothers

Objective: Mothers who had physically abused their children were assessed to determine whether these mothers had a general coping skills deficit. Method: Abusing mothers (n = 17) were compared to nonabusing mothers of conduct problem children (n = 16). Coping was measured by several different methods, each designed to address the insufficiencies of the others. Results: In comparison to the nonabusing mothers, independent ratings indicated that abusing mothers exhibited a pattern of coping characterized by greater use of emotion-focused coping strategies and less use of effective problem-focused strategies. Finally, using self report ratings of coping, abusing mothers perceived their coping to be more ineffective than the nonabusing mothers. Conclusions: The possibility that the observed coping skills deficit may be indicative of a deficit in emotional responding to stress was discussed and suggestions were given for therapeutic interventions with child abusing mothers. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.