NCJ Number
141901
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Dated: special issue (March 1993) Pages: complete issue
Editor(s)
J S Milner
Date Published
1993
Length
111 pages
Annotation
This special journal issue on child neglect presents a critical discussion of major conceptual, research, and intervention issues related to child neglect, and a major theme is that definitional and research problems continue to limit the understanding of child neglect and its effects.
Abstract
In the first article, the authors tackle the difficult issue of how to define child neglect adequately. They suggest that narrow definitions of child neglect focusing on parental culpability should be replaced with definitions including contributions from all ecological levels, including the parent, the family, the community, and the larger society. The second article focuses on information processing styles of neglectful parents to explain how neglectful parents may fail to respond to their children's needs. The author attempts to explain parental information processing differences from a developmental perspective and the implications of parental information processing deficits for treatment efforts. The third article examines the effects of child neglect on victims and emphasizes the importance of adopting a developmental perspective. Although the authors acknowledge the utility of using the developmental perspective in understanding the effects of child neglect, they also note that such efforts are currently limited by the fact that a developmental perspective has not been used to guide existing research in the area of child neglect. The fourth article discusses how different types of child neglect appear to be linked to different types of parental and environmental problems. General guidelines for child neglect interventions are presented that stress parental needs and resources available to parents. The final article reviews child neglect risk factors and develops prevention goals based on those factors. Recent examples of family support prevention programs are described. References and notes