“Am I Really a Bad Parent?”: Adolescent-to-Parent Abuse (AtPA) Identity and the Stigma Management Communication (SMC) Model

ABSTRACT

Applying qualitative data from grounded theory research on adolescent-to-parent abuse (AtPA), we demonstrate the utility of Meisenbach’s (2010) Stigma Management Communication model. Originally developed for nonfamily contexts, this model provides an applied framework for studying stigma identity as an interactionist construct in families. Our theoretical explication and analysis of AtPA incorporates stigma, identity, and communication strategies to showcase the utility of this model for future family-focused research.

Notes

^1. Obvious differences between AtPA and other forms of domestic violence include the perpetrator’s legal and social reliance on the victim and the support resources available to victims. A detailed accounting of AtPA/other domestic violence comparisons is beyond the scope of this analysis; however, both similarities with and differences from other family abuse types reinforce the importance of the SMC model for use in examining stigma divergence/convergence.