What causes a parent to abuse and/or neglect thier child?

Question

What causes a parent to abuse and/or neglect thier child?

Answer 1

there ignorant~

Answer 2

depression, psychosis, or other mental illness

physical illness that makes it hard to take care of a child's needs

selfishness, immaturity, lack of empathy, uncontrolled temper

substance abuse

having been abused oneself also increases the odds of becoming an abuser, though it doesn't "make" someone become one.

Answer 3

History tends to repeat itself.  Parents who were abused as children often end up being abusers (not always!).  

Also, as others have indicated, stress, mental illness, poverty, etc.

There sure are some sick people out there who should never have had children.

Answer 4

In most cases, the parent of the child was abused or neglected when they were a child. Drug dependency or alcoholism are also common causes for a parent to become abusive/neglectful.

Answer 5

they are either mentally ill, on drugs or alcohol or just evil

Answer 6

stress, lack of knowledge on parenting, anger management issues, lack of concern or conscience, drugs and alcohol abuse, etc...

Answer 7

I'm sure they have all sorts of reasons, but none of them excuse them for what they did. It makes me sick to my stomach even thinking about someone hurting a child, not alone their own. just plain sick

Answer 8

Stems from Evil.