Adolescent-to-parent violence and abuse: abused parents' accounts

Abstract

Adolescent-to-parent violence and abuse (APVA); is an adolescents utilisation of "a pattern of behaviour that uses verbal, financial, physical or emotional means to practice power and exert control over a parent" (Holt, 2013, p. 1). As well as causing psychological damage to the parent and child it is a growing social problem which is largely absent from within both academic and social policy domains (Miles & Condry, 2014). This study sought to contribute to existing literature by examining parents' accounts of APVA shared within online forums to identify themes of issues of significance to them via a thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006). Data comprised thirty-two archived message 'posts' written by twenty-three (71.8%) mothers, four (12.5%) fathers, and five (15.6%) step-fathers describing the abuse that they experienced by their adolescent (93.3% male, 13.3% female). Findings formed three themes; the 'emotional turmoil', the 'need to explain', and 'fractured relationships. The themes are discussed in relation to wider literature and recommendations for further study are suggested to address limitations.

Date of Award	Sept 2018
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bedfordshire
Supervisor	Isabella McMurray (Supervisor) & Antigonos Sochos (Second supervisor)