Oxford research project

Adolescent to parent violence is a hidden form of family violence which can also be referred to as ‘parent abuse’, ‘child to parent abuse’, ‘child to parent violence (CPV)’ or ‘battered parent syndrome’. A commonly used definition of this problem is ‘any act of a child that is intended to cause physical, psychological or financial damage in order to gain control over a parent’ (Cottrell, 2001). For the purposes of the Oxford research project, APV has been defined to include any acts of violence, threats of violence, or criminal damage in the home by an adolescent (aged 13-19) towards a parent or carer.