Abstract
Dunovský, Dytrych, Matějček et al emphasized the need to map the occurrence of the pathological phenomena contained in the CAN notion - a child that is abused and neglected. This paper is based on a retrospective study in the adult male population - of future fathers.
Using a questionnaire, the group of men maltreated in childhood was compared with the group of men who were not maltreated. The differences between their original families, their parents and themselves were investigated.
It was found out that 57,9% of fathers and 48,3% of mothers of the ELSPAC study children were maltreated physically or psychologically in their childhood. The maltreated fathers were more often born prematurelly, more often ill, less resistant psychologically, more often they maltreated their wives and children.
Conclusion: Men maltreated in childhood acted similarly as their parents once did - violent behavior towards children and between partners was transferred from one generation to the next.