NCJ Number
128771
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1991) Pages: complete issue
Editor(s)
J S Milner
Date Published
1991
Length
112 pages
Annotation
Six articles by authors well-known for their previous work in the family-violence field discuss issues in the detection, treatment, and prevention of physical child abuse.
Abstract
One article discusses obstacles to the design and completion of useful child abuse research followed by an article that discusses historical and sociopolitical issues in physical child abuse including the early and premature emphasis on treatment that have impeded the development of theory and related empirical research. This article also reviews physical-child-abuse models and provides criteria useful in developing and evaluating such models. An article on the screening and evaluation of the perpetrator of physical child abuse considers issues in the debate on the appropriateness of such screening and evaluation. Also included is a review of frequently used physical-child-abuse assessment devices and related psychometric information. A fourth article reviews and critically examines research on the effects of physical child abuse on the victim. The article presents a multifactor risk model and new data from the authors' research on abuse-related dysfunctional peer relationships in school-age children. Other articles assess the current status of physical child abuse treatment programs and discuss future directions in treatment research and conflicts between the fifth amendment's prohibition against self-incrimination and the therapeutic requirement to admit abuse. Research needs are identified in each article. Article references