NCJ Number
235258
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 35 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2011 Pages: 414-424
Date Published
June 2011
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the ability of a multi-dimensional youth self-report measure to identify and measure the neglectful behavior of parents.
Abstract
Study findings indicate that a three-factor self-report measure that evaluated physical needs, emotional support, and parental monitoring among a group of adolescents was most effective for identifying and measuring the neglectful behavior of parents across gender and longitudinally for youths ages 12 through 14. This study had four primary objectives: 1) to define and evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-dimensional youth self-report measure; 2) to test for equivalence of the measure across gender; 3) to evaluate the stability of the measure longitudinally across a 2-year period; and 4) to assess correlation between the measure and other records indicating abuse and neglect. Data for the study were obtained from a sample (n=593) of 12-year-old youth participating in the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) consortium; additional data for 272 of the youth was also obtained when they were age 14. Information was collected on demographic variables including race, gender, family income, and caregiver's education level and marital status, along with information on child neglect, quality of parent-child relationships, parental monitoring, and official child protective services (CPS) allegations of neglect. Analyses of data were done in four phases and confirmed the effectiveness of the three-factor self-report measure in identifying and measuring the neglectful behavior of parents. Study limitations and implications for future research are discussed. Tables, figure, and references