Multidisciplinary Approach to Comprehensive Evaluation of Multilevels of Ecological Characteristics for Child Abuse and Neglect

• NCJ Number: 121522
• Author(s): O C S Tzeng; H C Karlson; R Fortier
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 19 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Lilly Endowment, Inc; US Dept of Health and Human Services; Indianapolis Foundation
• Corporate Author: Indiana University-Purdue Univ at Indianapolis
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Technical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Paper presented at the Eighth National Conference on Child Abuse and neglect, Salt Lake City, Utah, October 21-24, 1989

Annotation

This paper presents a multidisciplinary approach to child abuse and neglect and describes the operation and results of the authors' graduate training program and research activities.

Abstract

The analysis emphasizes that child abuse and neglect is a pervasive issue that reflects problems in five levels of social systems: the individual, the family, the community, the culture, and the geopolitical system. More than 40 theories and models have been used in the literature to address prevention, intervention, and treatment issues. These theories and their applications vary in their disciplinary orientations and often use fragmented and conflicting principles and strategies. During the last 2 years the authors have evaluated 45 theoretical perspectives, developed a profile of the efforts of individual States, generated profiles based on 140,000 reported cases, and applied the results of these efforts to a multidisciplinary graduate training curriculum. The philosophy, methods, and strategies developed in this program can be used by other institutions of higher education to train professionals regarding child services. Figure, table, and 3 references. (Author abstract modified)