NCJ Number
209624
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2005 Pages: 124-135
Date Published
May 2005
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study measured neglectful behavior experienced as a child by students at 33 universities in 17 countries and its relation to violence against dating partners.
Abstract
Intended as a cross-cultural study of neglect, this study begins with a test of the theory that most widespread effects of neglect manifest themselves when the children are adults and are in the form of psychological damage and impaired social relationships. The study also examined the extent to which neglectful behavior occurs in the diverse social settings in which students at 33 universities in 17 countries (6,900 students) were living and the interaction of the level of violence in a given social context on the relation between neglect experienced and violence against a dating partner. The study found that half of the students experienced at least one of the eight neglectful behaviors as children, and about 12 percent experienced a pervasive pattern of neglect as indicated by three or more of the eight neglectful behaviors measured. The rate of neglectful behavior experienced by male students tended to be higher than by female students. In testing the theory that neglect is a risk factor for antisocial and violent behavior, it was found that the more neglectful behavior the students experienced as a child, the more likely they were to physically assault a dating partner. The results suggest that neglectful behavior by parents is a more pervasive problem than is usually realized. References