General Discussion

Without question, every child who grows up abused will not in turn become a child abuser. However, without question, the majority of child abusers were mistreated themselves while growing up. Quite often, this involves what role they played as children in a dysfunctional family system. I remember -- I think in June or July of 2004 -- there was a discussion about related issues here on DU. I mentioned the movie "The Breakfast Club," and a friend said it was merely a teen flick. Actually, John Hughes based it upon the roles kids play in dysfunctional families, based upon a then new model of "children in alcoholic families." As the movie showed, there is both a good and bad potential associated with each role. Thus, some of the very best parents may have been subjected to the same abuse as kids as someone who grows up and repeats the cycle of abuse.

And as you noted, and I mentioned in the OP, research has documented differences in the brains of psychopaths. Those studied have been, for lack of better description, the worst of the worst. Certainly there is evidence that some were "bad seed," born that way, and seemingly raised in decent family systems. Another organic influence can be brain injuries, especially to the frontal lobes. There is a wide spectrum of influences. However, as documented in Stone and Brucato's books, almost every individual ranking among the "worst of the worst" were severely mistreated in childhood .... which, of course, is the period where their brains grew and developed.

I'll add thank you for your post. I always enjoy and respect your thoughts!