Timothy E. Moore

Wounding Words: Maternal Verbal Aggression and Children's Adjustment

Psychological maltreatment, including verbal aggression, has been implicated as an important contributor to childrens behavioral problems. The present study looked specifically at the relationship between different forms of maternal verbal aggression and their association with childrens adjustment. Mothers from Violent and Nonviolent families were compared on their use of various verbal aggression tactics, as measured by the Conflict Tactics Scale (Straus, 1979). Mothers from both groups used threats and insults with comparable frequency. In both groups, insults were predictive of childrens adjustment. The relationship was particularly striking in children from violent homes. We conclude that chronic exposure to inter-parental violence may render children emotionally susceptible to maternal disparagement.

A Bereavement Support Program for Survivors of Cancer Deaths: A Description and Evaluation.

The Riverdale Hospital, Toronto, has developed a comprehensive and well-documented bereavement support program for survivors of cancer deaths. This study describes the program and its execution and presents a detailed program evaluation. Bereaved survivors who had participated in the program for one year were asked by way of a mailed questionnaire to evaluate various aspects of the program and the facilitation of their grief by the volunteers. The results showed the bereavement support program was beneficial to the survivors and very much appreciated. The findings are discussed and recommendations made for expansion and improvement of the program.