Child Physical Abuse With and Without Forms of Maltreatment: Dysfunctionality Versus Dysnormality

• NCJ Number: 220596
• Journal: Child Maltreatment Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2007 Pages: 303-313
• Author(s): Marie-Claude Larrivee; Marc Tourigny; Camil Bouchard
• Date Published: November 2007
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study compared the characteristics of cases of physical abuse reported to Quebec (Canada) child protective services (CPS) according to whether the physical abuse occurred alone ("dysnormality") or in combination with other forms of maltreatment ("dysfunctionality").

Abstract

Of the 514 children referred to CPS for physical abuse, 48 percent suffered other forms of maltreatment. Among children subjected to physical abuse alone, the abuse occurred most often in the context of abusive corporal punishment. This suggests the abuse may be a response to the child's disruptive behavior. The cultural component of abusive corporal punishment may also be a factor, in that some cultures advocate physical punishment as an acceptable and even primary form of discipline. Among children who had experienced only physical abuse, the abuse was more often a one-time occurrence rather than a frequently occurring pattern of abuse. This was most often the case when the physical abuse was perpetrated by an authority figure outside the home rather than by the parents. In cases that involved other forms of maltreatment in addition to physical abuse, the children were more often maltreated due to irrational, impulsive brutality rather than excessive corporal punishment. Their abusers tended to be parents/guardians who were emotionally disorganized, under the influence of alcohol, and extremely frustrated. The findings indicate that the determination of whether physical abuse occurs alone or in combination with other forms of maltreatment is critical in diagnosing the extent of the severity and possible causes of dysfunction within the child's environment. Study data were obtained from the Quebec Incidence Study, which examined 4,929 reports investigated by Quebec CPS in the fall of 1998. The cases included 514 children who were referred because of physical abuse. The survey solicited information on approximately 30 characteristics of the children, their families, and their parents/guardians. 5 tables and 50 references