The Relationship between Dimensions of Physical Abuse and Aggressive Behavior in a Child Protective Services Involved Sample of Adolescents

Although a relationship between harshness of childhood physical abuse and later aggression is well documented, researchers have rarely examined this association using information from the victim’s perspective. Also, no study has controlled for the possibility that victims of harsh abuse are aggressive because they often require more invasive child protection services (CPS), and thus experience greater disruptions to their home situation. A …