Risk Factors Associated With the Chronicity of High Potential for Child Abuse and Neglect

• NCJ Number: 206296
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2004 Pages: 13-24
• Author(s): Louise S. Ethier; Germain Couture; Carl Lacharite
• Date Published: February 2004
• Length: 12 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study analyzed the relationship between psychosocial risk factors and outcomes for child abuse and neglect based on a longitudinal study of 56 mothers who were assessed by social agencies as being abusive and neglectful of their children or at high risk for such abuse and neglect.

Abstract

The initial sample of 87 mothers was recruited on the basis of showing at least 4 risk factors for child abuse or neglect from a list of 22 risk factors developed by Browne and Sagi (1988) and Crittenden (1992). A mean of 7.6 risk factors was observed in the families at the start of the study. Four years after the initial recruitment, a follow-up was conducted with 56 mothers from the original sample. After 4 years of receiving services, 35 mothers still exhibited child maltreatment behaviors (chronic problems group), and 21 mothers were classified as having transitory problems of child abuse or neglect. Overall, the findings indicate that the following variables were significantly associated with chronic problems of abuse and neglect: initial level of severity of the potential for abuse; number of children at the time the case was opened; dual-parent status; the fact that the mother herself had been placed in a foster home; the mother had been sexually abused; and she had run away from home during her adolescence. Also, the more severe the manifestations of risk factors, the greater the chances that chronic neglect and abuse occurred. The mothers who displayed more than eight risk factors had slightly over four times the risk of having problems of chronic abuse and neglect. The authors advise that although intervention cannot change the fact that the mothers in the chronic group suffered abuse and abandonment during their childhoods, the intervention can take into account their personal distress. This study's message for prevention efforts is that actions must be taken to reduce the sexual abuse of children and prevent the break-up of families at a child's early age. 6 tables and 63 references