Parental Predictors of Children's Animal Abuse: Findings From a National and Intergenerational Sample. (November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Knight, Kelly E.; Ellis, Colter; Simmons, Sara B.
• Is Part Of: Journal of interpersonal violence. Volume 29:Number 16(2014)
• Page Start: 3014
• Page End: 3034
• Publication Date: 2014-11
• Subjects: animal abuse -- serious offending -- substance use -- intimate partner violence -- intergenerational continuity; Violence -- Periodicals; Sex crimes -- Periodicals; Violence -- Périodiques; Crimes sexuels -- Périodiques; 364.15
• DOI: 10.1177/0886260514527825
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0886-2605

Abstract

This study examines the intra- and intergenerational links between intimate partner violence (IPV) and animal abuse by analyzing a national, longitudinal, and multigenerational sample of 1, 614 individuals collected by the National Youth Survey Family Study from 1990 to 2004. Using multilevel random-intercept regression modeling, parents' own history of animal abuse is predictive of their later involvement in IPV perpetration and victimization, net of important controls. In turn, parents' IPV violent perpetration (but not violent victimization) is predictive of their children's history of animal abuse—measured 14 years later. Intergenerational continuity of animal abuse, however, is not significant. Implications of these findings are discussed, as are the study's limitations, and future research directions.