Childhood animal cruelty methods and their link to adult interpersonal violence

Recent research has begun to establish a relationship between childhood acts of animal cruelty and later violence against humans. However, few studies have focused on the influence of animal cruelty methods on later interpersonal violence. In a replication of a study by Hensley and Tallichet (2009) and based on a sample of 180 inmates at medium- and maximum-security prisons in a Southern state, the present study examines the relationship between several retrospectively-identified animal cruelty met hods (drowned, hit, shot, kicked, choked, burned, and had sex with) and interpersonal violence committed against humans. Four out of five inmates reported hitting animals. Over one-third of the sample chose to shoot or kick animals, while one in five had sex with them. Less than one-fifth of the sample drowned or choked animals, and less than one-sixth of the inmates burned animals. Regression analyses revealed that the age at which offenders began animal cruelty and having sex with animals were predictive of adult interpersonal violence.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Author dc:creator

• Henderson, Brandy B.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hensley, Christopher
• Garland, Tammy; McGuffey, Karen
• College of Arts and Sciences

• Violence -- Psychological aspect
• Children and animals

Licence

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/287

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1427