It depends what type of abuse you're talking about. If it is parental abuse, then it could be caused by anger issues, or if your child isn't listening, the parent would normally try hitting their child, or saying things that could scar their child.
and normally, if a child is abused, there is a possibility of them becoming an abuser as well. If that isn't the case, they'll most likely grow up with PTSD and is afraid of relationships, and afraid of being hit.
A psychologist who would claim that a client's personal experience and viewpoint influence behavior more than events in reality would probably use cognitive psychology mixed with develompental aspects to explain the behavior and personality of a person.
