Abstract
Memories of child maltreatment in perpetrators of child abuse and child abuse potential in victims of child physical and sexual abuse. The present paper present two studies conducted to know memories of child abuse in abusive and neglectful parents and the potential for child abuse, emotions and causal attributions of child abuse in victims of child maltreatment. In the first research, memories of physical and emotional child abuse were assessed in subjects from the general population (N = 341) and child abusers (N = 165). In the second research, memories of child physical and sexual abuse were assessed in 826 students. Causal atrributions and emotions related with the experience of abuse were assessed in victims of child physical and sexual abuse (N = 62). No differences in memories of child physical and emotional abuse were observed between perpetrators of different typologies of abuse. Victims of child physical abuse, relative to victims of sexual abuse, showed higher scores on child abuse potential. Victims of child physical abuse, compared to victims of child sexual abuse, reported higher scores on anger and sadnes and lower scores on guilt and shame related with child abuse experience.
