NCJ Number
138464
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (July/August 1992) Pages: 475-483
Date Published
1992
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study reviewed 190 randomly selected records from the caseload of a large juvenile court to examine whether, within such a sample, there were relationships between specific forms of child maltreatment and specific types of substance abuse.
Abstract
The analysis focused on cases of severe maltreatment of children, which involved either gross neglect, physical abuse, or sexual abuse. It examined whether unique patterns of substance abuse could predict the probability of physical or sexual maltreatment. A preliminary examination of the data indicated that 36 of the 190 cases involved both physical and sexual maltreatment, 66 involved only physical maltreatment, 18 involved only sexual maltreatment, and 70 involved neither of these forms of maltreatment, but did involve gross neglect. Dichotomous variables that represented physical and sexual maltreatment served as dependent variables. Independent variables consisted of dichotomous markers that indicated whether or not the following substances had been abused: alcohol, cocaine, opiates, and other. Study results revealed specific associations between alcohol abuse and physical maltreatment and cocaine abuse and sexual maltreatment. Logistic analyses, testing for the effects of polysubstance abuse, found that additional forms of substance abuse did not add significantly to the effects of alcohol in the prediction of physical maltreatment or cocaine in the prediction of sexual maltreatment. 3 tables and 28 references