Wiehe Vernon R
College of Social Work, University of Kentucky, Patterson Office Tower 661, Lexington, KY 40506-0027, USA.
Child Abuse Negl. 2003 May;27(5):541-55. doi: 10.1016/s0145-2134(03)00034-6.
The purpose of this research was to study the personality variables of empathy and narcissism in a sample of child abuse perpetrators and a comparison sample of foster parents, conceptualized as nonabusive parents, in order to gain further understanding of perpetrators and to provide clues for intervention.
The sample consisted of two groups: physically and emotionally abusive parents (n=52) and foster parents (n=101). Participants responded to three instruments: the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), an instrument measuring individual differences in empathy, and two instruments measuring narcissism: the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) and the Hypersensitivity Narcissism Scale (HSNS).
Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups on three of the four subscales of the IRI: perspective-taking, empathic concern, and personal distress. Based on the definition of these subscales, the abusive parents as compared to the foster parents were not able to take the perspective of another or see things from another's viewpoint, showed less warmth, compassion and concern for others, and experienced difficulty in tense interpersonal situations. Statistically significant differences were found for the two groups on three of the six subscales of the NPI: authority, exhibitionism, and superiority, and on the HSNS. The abusive parents demonstrated less self-confidence, a greater lack of impulse control and were more narcissistic than their foster parent counterparts.
The results suggest that it is how the perpetrators experience aversive behavior in their children that may provoke them to physically and emotionally abuse their children. Their self-centeredness in addition to their deficiencies in empathy may cause them to experience their children's misbehavior as an affront to their authority. Implications for treatment are made from this conceptualization of parental abuse.
本研究旨在对虐待儿童者样本以及作为非虐待父母的寄养父母比较样本中的共情和自恋等人格变量进行研究，以便进一步了解施虐者并为干预提供线索。
样本包括两组：身体和情感虐待型父母（n = 52）以及寄养父母（n = 101）。参与者对三种工具进行了作答：人际反应指数（IRI），一种测量共情个体差异的工具，以及两种测量自恋的工具：自恋人格问卷（NPI）和超敏自恋量表（HSNS）。
在IRI的四个子量表中的三个上，两组之间存在统计学上的显著差异：观点采择、共情关注和个人痛苦。根据这些子量表的定义，与寄养父母相比，虐待型父母无法站在他人角度看待问题或从他人观点看事情，对他人表现出更少的温暖、同情和关心，并且在紧张的人际情境中会遇到困难。在NPI的六个子量表中的三个上，两组之间存在统计学上的显著差异：权威、自我表现欲和优越感，以及在HSNS上。虐待型父母表现出更低的自信，更缺乏冲动控制，并且比他们的寄养父母对应者更自恋。
结果表明，施虐者如何体验孩子的厌恶行为可能会促使他们对孩子进行身体和情感虐待。他们的自我中心以及共情缺陷可能导致他们将孩子的不当行为视为对其权威的冒犯。基于对父母虐待的这种概念化提出了治疗建议。
