Overall, 42.4% (39 of 92 respondents) of the sample
reported engaging in at least minor physical assault toward
their child. With regards to severe physical maltreatment,
12.8% (12 of 94 respondents) reported engaging in those
behaviors. Rates of minor assault are lower than national
population estimates (424 per 1,000 vs. 614 per 1,000), but
rates of severe physical assault are higher in the current
sample (128 per 1,000 vs. 49 per 1,000; see Straus et al.
1998 for general population estimates). Forty-nine percent
of past year drinkers reported engaging in child physical
assault compared to 28.6% of non-drinkers who reported
engaging in physically assaultive behaviors.