Trauma symptoms and PTSD-like profiles in perpetrators of intimate abuse

The presence of chronic trauma symptoms and similarity to a specific profile for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were assessed in a group 132 wife assaultive men and 44 demographically matched controls. Men who committed intimate abuse experienced more chronic trauma symptoms than nonabusive c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of traumatic stress Vol. 8; no. 2; p. 299
Main Author Dutton, D G
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.04.1995
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
British Columbia
Case-Control Studies
Discriminant Analysis
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Psychological
Personality Tests
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Risk Factors
Spouse Abuse - psychology
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology
Violence - psychology
British Columbia
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:The presence of chronic trauma symptoms and similarity to a specific profile for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were assessed in a group 132 wife assaultive men and 44 demographically matched controls. Men who committed intimate abuse experienced more chronic trauma symptoms than nonabusive controls. A composite profile on the MCMI-II for wife assaulters demonstrated peaks on 82C (negative/avoidant/borderline), as have two independent studies of the profile of men diagnosed with PTSD. However, the assaultive population had higher scores on the antisocial personality scale and lower scores on anxiety and dysthymia. This PTSD-like profile on the MCMI-II was associated significantly with more frequent anger and emotional abuse of the subject's partner. The trauma origin for these men may have been parental treatment: experiencing frequent trauma symptoms as an adult was significantly related to negative recollections of parental treatment, specifically parental coldness/rejection and physical abuse.
ISSN:0894-9867
DOI:10.1002/jts.2490080210