NCJ Number
183743
Date Published
1997
Length
21 pages
Annotation
While the lack of concise, commonly accepted definitions for all types of child maltreatment has frustrated progress in the field and has impeded communication between research, legal, and child welfare professionals, definitional problems have been most pronounced in the area of psychological maltreatment.
Abstract
Psychological maltreatment has proven difficult to define for several reasons. It can result from acts of commission (abuse) and from acts of omission (neglect). In addition, it can occur in acute instances or as a chronic pattern of interaction. Psychological maltreatment can also occur as very subtle behavior or as extreme, pronounced behavior. Estimates of the incidence of psychological maltreatment vary widely, and these variations demonstrate the conceptual confusion that surrounds psychological maltreatment. Despite definitional and methodological problems associated with empirical research on psychological maltreatment, an emerging body of literature attests to the destructive consequences of psychological maltreatment and points to its centrality in all forms of child abuse and neglect. Implications of research and clinical findings on psychological maltreatment for assessment and intervention are discussed, and specific assessment techniques are described. 67 references and 1 table