NCJ Number
120347
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 13 Issue: 4 Dated: (1989) Pages: 463-470
Date Published
1989
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examines the effect of hearing a child's cries on alcohol consumption, comprising one link in a possible association between drinking and child abuse.
Abstract
Thirty-two male undergraduate volunteers were preselected by age, drinking practices, and abuse potential. Subjects were assigned to either a high or low abuse potential group and were then randomly assigned to hear either an infant cry or a smoke alarm. Blood pressure was measured during each of three stimulus presentations. Results indicate that, regardless of risk group, subjects who listened to the infant cry consumed significantly more alcohol during the taste-rating task than did those who heard only the smoke alarm which was also rated as aversive. There was no relationship between abuse potential and alcohol consumption. Although diastolic blood pressure did not differ between groups, analysis of the infant rating scales revealed that, regardless of risk group, subjects who heard the infant cry reported feeling more aversion, arousal, and distress, than did those who heard the smoke alarm. 1 table, 1 figure, 30 references. (Author abstract modified)