Research on Maltreating Families: Implications for Intervention (From APSAC Handbook on Child Maltreatment, P 158-174, 1996, John Briere, Lucy Berliner, et al, eds. - See NCJ-172299)

• NCJ Number: 172308
• Author(s): P M Crittenden
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 17 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The literature on the functioning of families with maltreated children varies considerably by type of maltreatment, but more research has been directed toward physical abuse.

Abstract

In the case of physical abuse, well-delineated patterns can be described in the context of sophisticated theories. Studies generally show abusive families interact less frequently and are more negative than nonviolent controls and often cover hostility with falsely pleasant behavior. In addition, relationships between family members reflect the negative quality of daily interactions. More information is needed on developmental pathways, both for individual family members and for families as a whole. Family interventions should focus on curbing dangerous parental behavior, teaching coping strategies that create affective distance of the parent from the conflict, and improving communication patterns. For neglect, there is less research but enough to have comparative studies and several theoretical perspectives that require testing and integration. One of the most obvious features of neglectful families is that everyone is neglected. Another feature is that psychological unavailability has been associated with developmental problems. Many individuals in neglectful families function like mildly retarded individuals and may respond to interventions that require rapid changes or substantial cognitive involvement. For both physical abuse and neglect, the role of poverty is critical in defining the extent of the problems. Until economic policies are enacted to assist families, it is unrealistic to expect family-level intervention will be sufficient to end the problem of child abuse and neglect. The literature on child sexual abuse, psychological maltreatment, and marginal maltreatment is limited, and conclusions about families who experience these problems are uncertain. Implications of the research on all forms of family abuse for treatment are discussed, and suggestions on how to improve family functioning are offered. 96 references