Parenting stress and anger expression as predictors of child abuse potential

To explore one potential pathway to physical child abuse, the present investigation used hierarchical regression analysis using measures of parenting stress and anger expression to jointly predict child abuse potential. The Parenting Stress Index, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory were administered to two different samples of New Zealand parents. As expected, both studies revealed parenting stress and anger expression and were individually positively correlated with child abuse potential; the major finding involved the strong joint contribution of parenting stress and an expression in predicting Child Abuse Potential Inventory scores. Application of findings for intervention and prevention are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.