Physical Abuse and Childhood Disability: Risk and Treatment Factors (From Violence and Sexual Abuse at Home: Current Issues in Spousal Battering and Child Maltreatment, P 207-224, 1997, Robert Geffner, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-168285)

• NCJ Number: 168296
• Author(s): R T Ammerman
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): H133G10008; H133A40007
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Education; Vira I Heinz Endowment
• Sale Source: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Recent interest in child abuse in general has been accompanied by a parallel increase in attention directed toward the maltreatment of children with disabilities, and several researchers have hypothesized that children with disabilities are at increased risk for physical abuse.

Abstract

The finding that children with disabilities are at increased risk for physical abuse is consistent with current ecological models that contend certain child characteristics such as behavioral problems in combination with other risk factors can lead to abuse. The paucity of research in this area makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions, but the few studies that have been conducted suggest child characteristics play a minor role in the etiology of abuse. Despite the lack of evidence indicating children with disabilities are at significantly greater risk for abuse than their nondisabled peers, the presence of a disability raises some unique issues in the identification, assessment, and treatment of special needs children. The literature linking abuse and disability as a risk factor is reviewed. Impediments encountered in the assessment and treatment of abused children with disabilities and their families are discussed, and guidelines for practice are presented. 57 references and 3 tables