Child Maltreatment
An Introduction

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Intended Audience: This is an ideal core text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying family violence, child maltreatment, family sociology, child welfare, and social work in the departments of Psychology, Counseling, Sociology, Social Work, Criminology, and Education.

Preface Acknowledgments Ch 1.
History and Definitions of Child Maltreatment

Children as Victims

Child Maltreatment Within Families

How Social Conditions Become Social Problems

Discovering Child Maltreatment: The Historical Context

Discovering Childhood

Discovering Child Maltreatment

Defining Child Maltreatment: Understanding the Social Construction-of-Deviance Definitions

Parent-Child Violence: Four Conceptualizations

Legitimate Versus Illegitimate Acts

Practice, Policy, and Prevention Issues

Family Support and Training Programs

School-Based Programs

Community Awareness Campaigns

Justice and Protection

Treating Offenders and Victims

Coordinated Community Responses

Summary

Goals of The Book

Discussion Questions

Notes

Recommended Resources Ch 2.
The Study of Child Maltreatment: Theoretical and Methodological Issues

Determining the Extent of Child Maltreatment

Official Estimates

National Incidence Study (NIS)

National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)

Self-Report Surveys

Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS)

National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

Section Summary

Explaining Child Maltreatment

Cultural and Social Structural Antecedents

The Cultural Context

Structural Characteristics of the Family

Low Costs of Child Maltreatment

Etiological Theory: Trying to Understand Abusive Behavior

Social Ecology/Social Bonding Theories

Social Class, Strain, and Frustration

Social Learning Theories

Attachment and Parent-Child Interaction Theories

Psychopathology and Behavioral Traits

Biological Factors

Integrated Theories

Process Theories

Transactional Theories

Section Summary

Methodological Issues: Conducting Better Research

Definitional Ambiguity

Correlation Isn't Cause: Problems Establishing Cause-and-Effect Relationships

Conducting Experiments

Longitudinal Studies

Comparison Groups

When Correlation Comes Close to Cause: Two Examples

Problems With Samples

Chapter Summary

Discussion Questions

Notes

Recommended Resources Ch 3.
Child Physical Abuse

Case History:
Kevin Fell Off His Razor

Scope of the Problem

What is Physical Child Abuse?

Legal Perspectives

How Common is Physical Child Abuse?

Official Estimates

Self-Report Surveys

Is the Rate of Physical Child Abuse Increasing?

Section Summary

Searching for Patterns: Victim, Perpetrator, and Social Ecological Characteristics

Demographic Characteristics of Children Who Are Physically Abused

Age

Gender

Socioeconomic Status

Race

Additional Characteristics

Demographic Characteristics of Adults Who Physically Abuse Children

Age

Gender

Relationship to the Abused Child

Psychological and Biological Characteristics of Adults Who Physically Abuse Children

Emotional and Behavioral Characteristics

Biological Factors

Social Ecological Factors

Family Characteristics

Family and Interpersonal Difficulties

Parenting Problems

Section Summary

Consequences Associated With Child Physical Abuse

Effects Associated With the Physical Abuse of Children

Medical and Neurobiological Problems

Cognitive Problems

Behavioral Problems

Socioemotional Difficulties

Psychiatric Disorders

Possible Long-Term Effects of Physical Abuse

Criminal and Violent Behavior

Substance Abuse

Socioemotional Difficulties

Mediators of Abuse Effects

Section Summary

Practice, Policy, and Prevention Issues

Intervention Strategies for Child Physical Abuse

Treatment for Physically Abusive Adults

Treatment for Children With Physical Abuse Histories

Family Interventions

Community Interventions

Preventing Physical Abuse of Children

Parental Competency Programs

Community Awareness Campaigns

Chapter Summary

Discussion Questions

Note

Recommended Resources Ch 4.
Child Sexual Abuse

Case History:
Sashim's Secret

Scope of the Problem

What is Child Sexual Abuse?

Cultural Context

Conceptual Issues

Legal Issues

Estimates of Child Sexual Abuse

Official Estimates

Self-Report Surveys

Is Sexual Abuse Increasing or Decreasing?

Section Summary

Searching for Patterns: Victim, Perpetrator, and Social Ecological Characteristics

Characteristics of Sexually Abused Children

Age

Gender

Characteristics of Individuals Who Sexually Abuse Children

Age

Gender

Relationship to the Abused Child

Social Ecological Factors

Section Summary

Dynamics and Consequences Associated With Child Sexual Abuse

Dynamics of Child Sexual Abuse

Types of Sexual Activity

Initiation of Abuse

Maintenance of Abuse

Exploitation Through the Internet

Effects Associated With Child Sexual Abuse

Initial Effects

Long-Term Effects

Explaining the Variability in Effects

Section Summary

Explaining Child Sexual Abuse

Focus on the Abused Individual

Focus on the Offender

Deviant Sexual Arousal

Childhood History of Sexual Abuse

Contemporary Integrative Theories

Focus on the Family

Focus on Society and Culture

Societal Attitudes

Media Depictions

Section Summary

Practice, Policy, and Prevention Issues

Basic Issues in Treatment Intervention

Therapy for Child and Adult Survivors

Interventions for Children

Interventions for Adults

Treatment Interventions for Offenders

Medical Approaches

Traditional and Family Systems Approaches

Cognitive and Behavioral Techniques

Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse

Education Programs for Children

The Parental Role in Child Empowerment

Perpetration Prevention

Chapter Summary

Discussion Questions

Recommended Resources Ch 5.
Child Neglect

Case History:
Will and Mark:
"Where are the Parents?"

Scope of the Problem

What is Child Neglect?

Current Definitions

Severity of Consequences

Frequency and Duration

Cultural Issues

Forms of Neglect

Estimates of Child Neglect

Official Estimates

Self-Report Surveys

Section Summary

Searching for Patterns:
Characteristics of Neglected Children and Their Families

Characteristics of Neglected Children

Age

Gender

Race

Characteristics of Neglecting Parents

Demographic Characteristics

Psychological and Behavioral Characteristics

Social Ecological Factors

Family Structure and Functioning

Socioeconomic Status

Community Integration and Social Support

Section Summary

Consequences Associated With Child Neglect

Developmental Considerations

Social and Attachment Difficulties

Cognitive and Academic Deficits

Emotional and Behavior Problems

Physical Consequences

Long-Term Consequences

Section Summary

Practice, Policy, and Prevention Issues

Treatment of Child Neglect

Prevention of Child Neglect

Home Visitation Programs

Programs for Parents With High-Risk Children

Chapter Summary

Discussion Questions

Recommended Resources Ch 6.
Child Psychological Maltreatment

Case History: Tough Love or Child Psychological Maltreatment?

Scope of the Problem

What is Child Psychological Maltreatment?

Conceptual Issues

Subtypes of Child Psychological Maltreatment

Legal Issues

Estimates of Child Psychological Maltreatment

Official Estimates

Self-Report Surveys

Section Summary

Searching for Patterns: Characteristics of Victims and Perpetrators

Characteristics of Psychologically Maltreated Children

Age and Gender

Other Risk Factors

Characteristics of Psychologically Maltreating Parents

Age and Gender

Psychosocial Qualities

Section Summary

Consequences Associated With Child Psychological Maltreatment

Initial Effects

Long-Term Effects

Methodological Issues Pertaining to Effects Research

Section Summary

Practice, Policy, and Prevention Issues

Interventions for Psychologically Maltreated Children

Preventing Psychological Maltreatment

Summary

Discussion Questions

Note

Recommended Resources Ch 7.
Additional Forms of Child Maltreatment

Case History:
The Disney World Girl

Children Who Witness Violence

Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Estimates of the Problem

Effects Associated With Children's Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence

Methodological Issues Pertaining to Effects Research

Interventions for Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Children Who Witness Community Violence

Estimates of the Problem

Effects Associated With Exposure to Community Violence

Interventions for Children Exposed to Community Violence

Section Summary

Peer Violence and Victimization

Sibling Abuse

What is Sibling Abuse?

Forms of Negative Sibling Interaction

Estimates of the Problem

Consequences Associated With Negative Sibling Interaction

Characteristics of Siblings Who Inflict Harm

Bullying

What is Bullying?

Estimates of the Problem

Characteristics of Bullies and Victims

Age

Gender

Psychological Characteristics

Family- and School-Related Factors

Intervention and Prevention

Section Summary

Institutional Child Maltreatment

Estimates of the Problem

Forms of Institutional Child Maltreatment

Consequences Associated With Institutional Child Maltreatment

Responses to Institutional Child Maltreatment

Section Summary

Organized Exploitation

Child Sex Rings

Child Pornography

Child Prostitution

Chapter Summary

Discussion Questions

Note

Recommended Resources Ch 8.
Key Issues in Responding to Child Maltreatment

Child Welfare Responses to Child Maltreatment

The Role of Child Protective Services

Out-of-Home Care

Legislation Affecting Child Welfare

Legal System Responses to Child Maltreatment

Children and the Legal System

Prosecuting Individuals Who Abuse Children

Cultural and International Issues in Child Maltreatment

Estimates of Child Maltreatment Outside North America

Cultural Differences and Child Maltreatment

Cultural Sensitivity in Addressing the Problem of Child Maltreatment

Collateral Effects of Child Maltreatment

Impact of Child Maltreatment on Professionals Who Work With Victims

Treatment and Prevention of Collateral Effects of Child Maltreatment

Chapter Summary

Discussion Questions

Recommended Resources Ch 9.
Controversial Issues in the Study of Child Maltreatment

Concern and Debate About Alleged False Allegations

Childhood Fabrications

Memory Wars:
Repressed and Recovered Memories

Is Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence (IVP) a Form of Child Maltreatment?

Are Some Cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Actually Infanticide?

Justice and Protection Controversies

Mandatory Reporting

Community Notification Laws

Corporal Punishment

Family Preservation Versus Out-of-Home Care

Chapter Summary

Discussion Questions

Notes

Recommended Resources Ch 10.
Advancing the Field of Child Maltreatment

Methodological and Theoretical Limitations and Solutions

Improving on Methodological Limitations to Research in the Field

Debates About Child Maltreatment Definitions

Studying the Causes of Child Maltreatment

Unifying the Field of Child Maltreatment

Competing Claims and Interests of Professionals

The Co-Occurrence of Multiple Forms of Victimization

Comparative Effects of Different Subtypes and Combinations of Child Maltreatment

Additional Areas of Integrative Research

Claims Making Versus Science: Balancing Passion and Empiricism Within the Field of Child Maltreatment

Feeding Public Distrust of Social Science

Feeding the Backlash

Blurring Definitional Boundaries

Achieving Balance

Chapter Summary

Discussion Questions

Recommended Resources Ch 11.
What You Can Do To Help

Condemning Cultural Acceptance of Violence

The Media and Violence

Questioning Culturally Accepted Violence Within the Family

Advocating for a Public Policy Commitment to the Prevention of Child Maltreatment

Financially Committing to Family Protection

Addressing Social Problems That Contribute to Child Maltreatment

Committing to Primary Prevention

Child Maltreatment as a Public Health Issue

Find What Works to Prevent Maltreatment and Invest in It

Joining, Giving, Volunteering, Speaking Out

Becoming a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer

Foster Parenting

Adopting

Chapter Summary

Notes Appendix References Glossary Index About the Authors