Child Maltreatment recent issues

Differential Relationships Between Personal and Community Stressors and Children's Neurocognitive Functioning

Fishbein, D., Warner, T., Krebs, C., Trevarthen, N., Flannery, B., Hammond, J. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

Early adversity can alter development of neurocognition, including executive cognitive and emotional regulatory functions. This is the first study to explore differential relationships between personal (physical and emotional abuse and neglect, school and parental stressors) and community (neighborhood problems and witnessing neighborhood violence) stressors and neurocognition. Predominantly Latino children ( n = 553) aged 10 to 12 years completed tasks measuring intelligence, impulsivity, problem solving, cognitive flexibility, decision making, and emotion attributions. Adjusting for age and parent education, bivariate regression analyses found exposure to personal stressors to be associated with relative deficits in at least one neurocognitive function. Community stressors were related to relative deficits in emotion attributions and problem solving. In multivariate analyses, neglect was related to misattributions of emotion and IQ deficits, and physical abuse was related to problem solving. Community stressors were not correlated with neurocognition when viewed relative to personal stressors. Stressor types were differentially associated with performance on specific neurocognitive tasks.

Pathways to Poly-Victimization

Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R., Turner, H., Holt, M. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

Some children, whom we have labeled poly-victims, experience very high levels of victimizations of different types. This article finds support for a conceptual model suggesting that there may be four distinct pathways to becoming such a poly-victim: (a) residing in a dangerous community, (b) living in a dangerous family, (c) having a chaotic, multiproblem family environment, or (d) having emotional problems that increase risk behavior, engender antagonism, and compromise the capacity to protect oneself. It uses three waves of the Developmental Victimization Survey, a nationally representative sample of children aged 2—17 years. All four hypothesized pathways showed significant independent association with poly-victim onset. For the younger children, the symptom score representing emotional problems was the only significant predictor. For the older children, the other three pathway variables were significant predictors—dangerous communities, dangerous families, and problem families—but not symptom score. Poly-victimization onset was also disproportionately likely to occur in the year prior to children’s 7th and 15th birthday, corresponding roughly to the entry into elementary school and high school. The identification of such pathways and the ages of high onset should help practitioners design programs for preventing vulnerable children from becoming poly-victims.

Childhood Victimization, Poly-Victimization, and Adjustment to College in Women

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

This study examines the relationships among poly-victimization (i.e., high cumulative levels of victimization), six aggregate categories of childhood victimization (property crime, physical assault, peer and sibling, witnessed and indirect, sexual, child maltreatment), and college adjustment in females. This study first examines the relative contributions of poly-victimization and individual categories of childhood victimization in predicting college adjustment. The study then examines whether poly-victimization contributes any unique variance, beyond that accounted for by the combination of all six aggregate categories. Regression analyses reveal that a) poly-victimization accounts for a significant proportion of variability in scores for college adjustment, beyond that accounted for by any of the six categories of childhood victimization alone, and b) the categories of childhood victimization contribute little to no variability beyond that accounted for by poly-victimization. Furthermore, poly-victimization accounts for a significant proportion of variability in college adjustment, beyond that already accounted for by the simultaneous entry of all six categories as predictor variables. Finally, although victimization does not predict GPA, it predicts other domains of college adjustment. Results suggest that counselors working with college students should a) assess multiple categories of victimization and poly-victimization, and b) evaluate clients' adjustment to college across multiple domains (e.g., academic, social, interpersonal).

Does Out-of-Home Placement Mediate the Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Adult Criminality?

DeGue, S., Spatz Widom, C. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

Existing research on child welfare interventions as mediators of the criminal consequences of child maltreatment has focused on juvenile delinquency rather than adult criminality. This study uses a prospective sample of 772 maltreated youth to examine out-of-home placement as a mediator of adult criminality. Arrest data were collected from official records when the full sample was a mean age of 31.8, having ample opportunity for involvement with the criminal justice system. Overall, out-of-home placement showed a neutral or slightly positive effect on adult criminality compared to no placement, consistent with earlier findings. However, prior delinquency and placement instability were significant risk factors for adult criminality. Gender, not race, was identified as a significant moderator of the relationship between placement and adult criminality, with different patterns of response to placement for males and females. Thus, whether placement experiences influence adult criminal consequences of child maltreatment might depend on prior delinquency, placement stability, and gender.

A Motivational Intervention Can Improve Retention in PCIT for Low-Motivation Child Welfare Clients

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

A motivational orientation intervention designed to improve parenting program retention was field tested versus standard orientation across two parenting programs, Parent—Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and a standard didactic parent training group. Both interventions were implemented within a frontline child welfare parenting center by center staff. Participants had an average of six prior child welfare referrals, primarily for neglect. A double-randomized design was used to test main and interaction effects. The motivational intervention improved retention only when combined with PCIT (cumulative survival = 85% vs. around 61% for the three other design cells). Benefits were robust across demographic characteristics and participation barriers but were concentrated among participants whose initial level of motivation was low to moderate. There were negative effects for participants with relatively high initial motivation. The findings suggest that using a motivational intervention combined with PCIT can improve retention when used selectively with relatively low to moderately motivated child welfare clients.

Elevated Risk of Child Maltreatment in Families With Stepparents but Not With Adoptive Parents

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

Does child maltreatment occur more often in adoptive and stepfamilies than in biological families? Data were collected from all 17 Dutch child protective services (CPS) agencies on 13,538 cases of certified child maltreatment in 2005. Family composition of the maltreated children was compared to a large national representative sample of the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study (NKPS). Larger families, one-parent families, and families with a stepparent showed elevated risks for child maltreatment. Adoptive families, however, showed significantly less child maltreatment than expected. The findings are discussed in the context of parental investment theory that seems to be applicable to stepparents but not to adoptive parents.

Does Bruising Help Determine Which Fractures Are Caused by Abuse?

Valvano, T. J., Binns, H. J., Flaherty, E. G., Leonhardt, D. E. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

To determine whether the presence or absence of bruising can be used to differentiate between abusive and nonabusive fractures, a retrospective study was conducted of patients with acute fractures referred to a child abuse team. A bruise and fracture were considered associated if both occurred on the same body site. Chart summaries, excluding information on bruising, were reviewed by 2 abuse experts to assign cause of injury. Of the 150 participants, fractures of 93 (62%) were categorized as abusive and 57 (38%) as nonabusive. Bruising associated with a fracture was found for 26% of abused and 25% of nonabused children. Most children (61%) had no bruises anywhere on the body, and this did not differ significantly by cause of injury. The sensitivity of a bruise associated with a fracture to predict abuse was only 26%. The presence or absence of bruising was not useful to differentiate between abusive and nonabusive fractures.

Medical Status of School-Age Children Reentering Foster Care

Fussell, J. J., Evans, L. D. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

Medical status changes between foster care placements were investigated to determine whether medical status improves and whether medical status changes predict reentry into care. Three hundred and ninety-two school-age children reentering foster care received comprehensive medical evaluation on each foster care entry. Results indicated that students reentering care had worsened medical status. Comparison with matched students having a single foster care placement did not show medical status predictive of foster care reentry but suggested that some medical status declines were age related.

Acknowledgement of Child Maltreatment's External Reviewers

Ondersma, S. J. — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

Call for Applications: Graduate Student/Postdoctoral Fellow Section of Child Maltreatment Editorial Board

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:12:42 PDT

Fathers, Physical Child Abuse, and Neglect: Advancing the Knowledge Base

Lee, S. J., Bellamy, J. L., Guterman, N. B. — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:26:16 PDT

Fathers are overrepresented as perpetrators of physical child maltreatment, particularly in its most severe forms. Despite this, the research literature continues to lack specificity regarding the role fathers play in risk for physical child abuse or neglect (PCAN). Furthermore, although fathers have received more attention with respect to child sexual abuse and its treatment, their influence has been largely disregarded in many intervention efforts to reduce PCAN. Inadequate attention to the role of fathers, both in research and practice, has numerous problematic implications for the prevention of child maltreatment. The goal of this special issue is to disseminate new research that examines fathers' roles by focusing on multiple fathering factors that may directly and indirectly shape both maternal and paternal risk of engaging in PCAN. In the introduction to the special issue, we highlight key questions in the research literature and present our perspective on how the articles included in this special issue address some of these gaps.

Fathering by Partner-Abusive Men: Attitudes on Children's Exposure to Interparental Conflict and Risk Factors for Child Abuse

Salisbury, E. J., Henning, K., Holdford, R. — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:26:16 PDT

A substantial body of research concludes that children in homes marked by intimate partner violence (IPV) and conflict are at increased risk for maladjustment. Although studies often attribute these difficulties to the aggressive acts witnessed, other research and theoretical work suggests that disrupted parenting and co-occurring child maltreatment play an equally critical role in the onset of the children's psychological and behavioral problems. Despite the clear importance of parenting in the context of IPV, relatively little scholarship has been devoted to the topic, particularly when it comes to examining fathers. The current study sought to better understand the paternal relationships of men arrested for spouse/partner abuse, to examine their beliefs about children's exposure to interparental conflict and to identify the specific factors that may place their children at risk for maltreatment. The data consisted of questionnaires administered to 3,824 men attending a court-ordered evaluation after they were convicted of assaulting an intimate partner. Analyses revealed that most of the men had some type of fathering role with underage children (n = 2,508; 65.6%) and in most cases these relationships continued following their arrest. Although the majority of the men acknowledged that their children had been exposed to interparental conflicts, few perceived that their children had been affected by the arguing. Also of concern was the fact that risk factors for child maltreatment were highly prevalent in this population. Implications of these findings and suggestions for those working with domestic offenders are discussed.

Parent Training With Behavioral Couples Therapy for Fathers' Alcohol Abuse: Effects on Substance Use, Parental Relationship, Parenting, and CPS Involvement

Lam, W. K. K., Fals-Stewart, W., Kelley, M. L. — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:26:16 PDT

This pilot study examined effects of Parent Skills with Behavioral Couples Therapy (PSBCT) on substance use, parenting, and relationship conflict among fathers with alcohol use disorders. Male participants (N = 30) entering outpatient alcohol treatment, their female partners, and a custodial child (8 to 12 years) were randomly assigned to (a) PSBCT; (b) Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT); or (c) Individual-Based Treatment (IBT). Children were not actively involved in treatment. Parents completed measures of substance use, couples' dyadic adjustment, partner violence, parenting, and Child Protection Services (CPS) involvement at pretreatment, posttreatment, 6- and 12-month follow-up. PSBCT was comparable to BCT on substance use, dyadic adjustment, and partner violence; both groups showed clinically meaningful effects over IBT. Compared to BCT, PSBCT resulted in larger effect sizes on parenting and CPS involvement throughout follow-up. PSBCT for fathers may enhance parenting couple- or individual-based treatment, and warrant examination in a larger, randomized efficacy trial.

A National Study of Male Involvement Among Families in Contact With the Child Welfare System

Bellamy, J. L. — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:26:16 PDT

Few studies inform the frequency and type of adult male involvement in families in contact with child welfare, and even fewer explore how male involvement relates to child welfare outcomes. This study employed data from a sample of 3,978 families in contact with the U.S. child welfare system, drawn from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. The nature of male involvement in these families and its relationship to (a) caseworkers' perception of children's risk for maltreatment rereport and (b) entry into out-of-home care were explored. Results indicate that most caregivers report male involvement, distinct types of male involvement are related to the likelihood of out-of-home care, and households that include nonparental adult males are perceived by caseworkers as relatively risky. No male involvement indicator tested, however, was related to maltreatment rereport. Implications include the need to appropriately assess, include, and engage adult male family members across diverse family systems.

Mothers, Men, and Child Protective Services Involvement

Berger, L. M., Paxson, C., Waldfogel, J. — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:26:16 PDT

This study used data on 2,297 families from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine whether Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement varies by maternal relationship status. Families were categorized according to whether the mother was living with a (male) partner or spouse, was involved in a dating relationship, or was not romantically involved. Families in which the mother was romantically involved were further delineated by whether her partner was the biological father of none, some, or all of the children in her household. Results indicated that families in which the mother was living with a man who was not the biological father of all children and those in which she was not romantically involved were significantly more likely to be contacted by CPS than those in which she was living with the biological father of all resident children. These findings withstood the inclusion of detailed controls for the mother's characteristics and behaviors and (in two-parent families) her partner's characteristics and behaviors, suggesting that they are not fully explained by observable social selection factors.

Fathers and Maternal Risk for Physical Child Abuse

Guterman, N. B., Lee, Y., Lee, S. J., Waldfogel, J., Rathouz, P. J. — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:26:16 PDT

This study set out to examine father-related factors predicting maternal physical child abuse risk in a national birth cohort of 1,480 families. In-home and phone interviews were conducted with mothers when index children were 3 years old. Predictor variables included the mother—father relationship status; father demographic, economic, and psychosocial variables; and key background factors. Outcome variables included both observed and self-reported proxies of maternal physical child abuse risk. At the bivariate level, mothers married to fathers were at lower risk for most indicators of maternal physical child abuse. However, after accounting for specific fathering factors and controlling for background variables, multivariate analyses indicated that marriage washed out as a protective factor, and on two of three indicators was linked with greater maternal physical abuse risk. Regarding fathering factors linked with risk, fathers' higher educational attainment and their positive involvement with their children most discernibly predicted lower maternal physical child abuse risk. Fathers' economic factors played no observable role in mothers' risk for physical child maltreatment. Such multivariate findings suggest that marriage per se does not appear to be a protective factor for maternal physical child abuse and rather it may serve as a proxy for other father-related protective factors.

Commentary on Fathers and Children and Maltreatment: Relationships Matter Most

Dubowitz, H. — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:26:16 PDT

Polyvictimization, Childhood Victimization, and Psychological Distress in College Women

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:38:01 PDT

Two studies examined the relationships among polyvictimization (i.e., high cumulative levels of victimization), six categories of childhood victimization (i.e., property crime, physical assault, peer/sibling, witnessed/indirect, sexual, and child maltreatment), and current psychological symptomatology in college females. Results indicated that exposure to multiple types of childhood victimization is common. Regression analyses revealed that polyvictimization accounted for a significant proportion of variability in scores for psychological distress beyond that accounted for by any victimization category alone. Moreover, the six categories separately accounted for little to no variability beyond that accounted for by polyvictimization. Finally, polyvictimization accounted for a significant proportion of variability in scores for psychological distress, beyond that already accounted for through the simultaneous entry of all six categories of victimization. Findings reiterate the importance for clinicians and researchers to comprehensively assess multiple categories of childhood victimization and polyvictimization and provide preliminary evidence that the total number of lifetime victimizations is at least as important, if not more important, than individual categories of victimization in predicting psychological distress.

Reported History of Childhood Abuse and Young Adults' Information-Processing Biases for Facial Displays of Emotion

Gibb, B. E., Schofield, C. A., Coles, M. E. — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:38:01 PDT

The primary goal of this study was to examine the relations between young adults' reports of childhood abuse and their current attention and interpretation biases for facial displays of emotion. Consistent with prediction, individuals reporting a history of moderate to severe childhood abuse exhibited preferential attention to angry faces and increased sensitivity in the detection of angry expressions at lower levels of emotional intensity. Both the attention and interpretation biases were specific to angry rather than happy or sad faces. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that experiences of childhood abuse may contribute to the development of experience-specific information-processing biases.

At-Risk and Maltreated Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Aggression/Violence: What the Conflict Looks Like and Its Relationship to Child Outcomes

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:38:01 PDT

Despite increasing research on children's exposure to intimate partner aggression/violence (IPAV), and co-occurrence of IPAV and maltreatment, little is known about IPAV in at-risk and maltreating families. We explored the nature of IPAV in 554 homes where children were identified as at risk or reported for maltreatment and examined differences between emotional and behavioral outcomes for children in homes where one or both intimate partners is the alleged perpetrator of IPAV. We found in this sample that IPAV primarily took the form of verbal aggression with differences in perpetrator gender for verbal, minor, and severe violence. There were few child outcomes predicted by perpetrator gender: Significant child behavior problems were found with all types of IPAV and both genders as perpetrators. Results suggest the need for comprehensive assessments of IPAV when assessing risk, safety, and harm issues for children reported as being at risk or victims of maltreatment.

Socioemotional Factors in Child Sexual Abuse Investigations

Hershkowitz, I. — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:38:01 PDT

Two socioemotional factors were explored in association with children's production of forensic information during sexual abuse investigations: rapport building and interviewer's support. The study tested to what extent (a) the length and questioning style in the rapport-building session and (b) the level of support interviewers provided to the children, were associated with the amount of forensic details children provided in their investigation. These associations were explored for more talkative and less talkative children as well as for children of two age groups (4-6 and 7-9 years). A total of 71 forensic interviews of alleged victims of child sexual abuse were subject to a detailed psycholinguistic analysis. Results suggest that richer information in the child's responses is associated with a short and open style rapport-building session as well as with a higher level of interviewer's support. This association is especially marked for less talkative children who might be in special need of support and for whom the rapport with the interviewer might be more meaningful.

Do Early Childhood Interventions Prevent Child Maltreatment?: A Review of Research

Reynolds, A. J., Mathieson, L. C., Topitzes, J. W. — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:38:01 PDT

We reviewed the empirical evidence on whether early childhood primary prevention programs can reduce rates of child abuse and neglect. Fifteen studies of 14 programs for children ages birth to 5 years were completed from 1990 to 2007 and assessed impacts with methodological rigor. All but one of the programs intervened from birth to age 3 through home visits, parent education classes, or the provision of health services. The weighted average effect size of program participation was a 2.9 percentage-point reduction in maltreatment (6.6% vs. 9.5%), which is equivalent to a 31% reduction in the rate of maltreatment and a fifth of a standard deviation. Of the five programs showing significant reductions in substantiated rates of child maltreatment, three provide strong evidence of preventive effects. Only the Child-Parent Centers (CPCs) and the Nurse—Family Partnership (NFP) assessed longer term preventive effects. Common elements of these effective programs included implementation by professional staff, relatively high dosage and intensity, and comprehensiveness of scope. The major conclusion is that the evidence base for programs in early childhood to prevent child maltreatment remains relatively weak. To advance the field, more longer term studies of a variety of intervention models are needed.

Child Maltreatment Among Asian Americans: Characteristics and Explanatory Framework

Fuhua Zhai, , Qin Gao, — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:38:01 PDT

This article systematically reviews the characteristics of child maltreatment among Asian Americans and provides a theoretical explanatory framework. The reported rate of child maltreatment among Asian Americans is disproportionately low. A high rate of physical abuse and low rates of neglect and sexual abuse are found among Asian American victims. Some protective factors (e.g., the emphasis on family harmony and reputation and the indulgence to infants and toddlers) may lead to low probability of child maltreatment among Asian Americans. Some others (e.g., parental authority and beliefs in physical punishment) may be risk factors of child maltreatment, especially physical abuse. Meanwhile, many other coexisting factors (e.g., children's obedience to parents and families' invisibility to authorities) may prohibit child maltreatment from being disclosed. Therefore, the overall low reported rate of child maltreatment among Asian Americans may be a combination of low incidence and underreporting. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Corrections

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Differentiating Between Substantiated, Suspected, and Unsubstantiated Maltreatment in Canada

Trocme, N., Knoke, D., Fallon, B., MacLaurin, B. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

The decision to substantiate is a key factor in determining eligibility for services and decisions to press criminal charges or to remove a child, and it is frequently the basis for selecting samples of maltreated children or to measure recidivism or intervention effectiveness. Although there is a growing body of research on case substantiation in the United States, few studies have examined this decision in other jurisdictions. Using data from the 2003 Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect, this study examines the profiles of a national sample of 10,010 investigations. Multivariate analyses reveal that substantiation decisions are generally made in a fashion that is relatively consistent with the clinical characteristics of cases. Along with severity of harm, parent risk factors, and housing risk factors, police referrals are among the most important predictors of case substantiation. Cases involving multiple forms of maltreatment are also more likely to be substantiated.

Time to Leave Substantiation Behind: Findings From A National Probability Study

Kohl, P. L., Jonson-Reid, M., Drake, B. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being, a national probability study of children and families investigated for child maltreatment, were analyzed to answer the question: Do substantiated and unsubstantiated cases differ in rates of recidivism over 36 months? Recidivism was classified as (a) any re-reports, (b) substantiated re-reports and (c) subsequent foster care placements. Bivariate (survivor functions estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method) and multivariate (Cox regression modeling) analyses were conducted. The results revealed that risk of recidivism was similar regardless of substantiation status of the index investigation. We suggest that the substantiation label be removed from field use. Instead, we suggest that agencies record service needs in the families they serve, and also record whether or not the family meets criteria for referral to the family court. These would be far more practical and meaningful ways to measure child welfare services.

Substantiation and Maltreatment Rereporting: A Propensity Score Analysis

Fuller, T., Nieto, M. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Although it is a widely used indicator, the use of substantiation in child welfare practice and research is not without critics. Much of this criticism concerns the ability of the substantiation disposition to distinguish between child protective services (CPS) investigations in which maltreatment occurs or does not occur. This study examined the relationship between substantiation and maltreatment rereporting using an analytic technique known as propensity score matching (PSM). Children with initially substantiated maltreatment reports were at significantly higher risk for rereporting than those with initially unsubstantiated reports, even after matching the two groups on propensity scores based on several demographic and case characteristics. Although additional study using PSM on other samples is warranted, this evidence supports the predictive validity of the substantiation disposition and its continued use as one factor to consider when allocating limited post-investigation services.

Caseworker Judgments and Substantiation

Cross, T. P., Casanueva, C. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Substantiation can have an important effect on what interventions are pursued for children investigated for maltreatment, but researchers lack knowledge about how the decision to substantiate is made. Using information from 4,515 children from a national probability study of children investigated for maltreatment, this study examined how caseworker judgments of harm, risk, and evidence predicted substantiation. The substantiation rate was 29.9%, but the majority of cases were substantiated when caseworkers reported at least moderate harm, at least moderate risk, and/or probably to clearly sufficient evidence. Each judgment variable significantly predicted substantiation in a multivariable model, with evidence the strongest predictor. Child gender and age were significant predictors beyond harm, risk, and evidence, suggesting that other judgments also influence substantiation. In 9 of 100 cases, reports were not substantiated despite moderate to severe harm. Thus, substantiation is generally based on judgments of harm, risk, and evidence but not exclusively. The findings underline previous researchers' conclusions that substantiation is a flawed measure of child maltreatment and suggest that policy and practice related to substantiation are due for a fresh appraisal by state child welfare service agencies.

Substantiation and Adverse Appeal Outcomes: Content Analysis and Testing of Drake's Harm/Evidence Model

Fakunmoju, S. B. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Little is known about the influence of evidentiary and case characteristics on adverse appeal outcomes for substantiated cases of maltreatment. This article, therefore, reports on a sample of adverse appeal outcomes during a 2-year period. Using Drake's Harm/Evidence model to examine the adverse outcomes, the study describes differences between substantiated cases that were "modified" versus "overturned" during appeal, as well as differences in their evidentiary characteristics across different types of maltreatment. Content analysis and logistic regression analysis of administrative data were used to predict overturned versus modified outcome. Overall, child neglect, substantiated cases that did not meet basic evidentiary standards, and cases that were deemed as not credible were more likely to be overturned in comparison to being modified. A substantiation assessment framework (SAF) is developed and implications of Drake's Harm/Evidence model for investigating maltreatment as well as for understanding judicial decision making in appealed cases of maltreatment is highlighted.

Allegory of the Cave: On the Theme of Substantiation

Fluke, J. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Risk Factors for Child and Adolescent Maltreatment: A Longitudinal Investigation of a Cohort of Inner-City Youth

Mersky, J. P., Berger, L. M., Reynolds, A. J., Gromoske, A. N. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

This study investigates associations between individual, family, and extrafamilial factors and the likelihood of subsequent childhood and adolescent maltreatment. The authors analyzed 1,411 participants in the Chicago Longitudinal Study whose maltreatment records were verified from administrative data. Findings suggest that maternal age at the child's birth was a robust predictor of maltreatment outcomes. Receipt of public assistance and single-parent family status were significantly associated with select outcomes. Among school-age indicators examined, parent participation in school was negatively associated with most maltreatment outcomes. Participation in the Chicago Child-Parent Center program was negatively associated with maltreatment, although effects varied by type and timing of maltreatment. In separate analyses, several factors were associated with neglect, but only maternal age at the child's birth was associated with physical abuse. Findings suggest that prevention programs may need to target select populations and specific mechanisms associated with different types of maltreatment to maximize effectiveness.

Predictors of Re-Referral to Child Protective Services: A Longitudinal Follow-Up of an Urban Cohort Maltreated as Infants

Thompson, R., Wiley, T. R. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Decades of research has identified several psychosocial risk factors for child maltreatment, only some of which are modifiable. The relative importance of the most modifiable psychosocial variables, as compared to more static variables such as demographic characteristics, is not well understood, particularly among children maltreated at a very young age. This study examined predictors of re-referral among 149 urban children originally referred for maltreatment as infants. Of these children, 42.3% were re-referred over a period of 11 to 15 years. Cox regression analyses with time-varying covariates revealed that modifiable psychosocial risk factors failed to predict risk for re-referral in a multivariate model. Demographic characteristics and characteristics of the index incident of maltreatment were the strongest predictors of re-referral. Existing services may not be addressing the underlying reasons for maltreatment, particularly in families with young children. A clearer understanding of the underlying causes of maltreatment is needed.

Telling Interviewers About Sexual Abuse: Predictors of Child Disclosure at Forensic Interviews

Lippert, T., Cross, T. P., Jones, L., Walsh, W. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

This study aims to identify characteristics that predict full disclosure by victims of sexual abuse during a forensic interview. Data came from agency files for 987 cases of sexual abuse between December 2001 and December 2003 from Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) and comparison communities within four U.S. states. Cases of children fully disclosing abuse when interviewed were compared to cases of children believed to be victims who gave no or partial disclosures. The likelihood of disclosure increased when victims were girls, a primary caregiver was supportive, and a child's disclosure instigated the investigation. The likelihood of disclosure was higher for children who were older at abuse onset and at forensic interview (each age variable having an independent effect). Communities differed on disclosure rate, with no difference associated with having a CAC. Findings suggest factors deserving consideration prior to a forensic interview, including organizational and community factors affecting disclosure rates.

Issues in the Application of Bayes' Theorem to Child Abuse Decision Making

Proeve, M. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Proposals for the application of Bayes' Theorem as an aid to child abuse decision making are discussed critically. Subsequently, two examples of the application of research findings concerning signs of child abuse to decision making are demonstrated, using data from research studies of signs of physical abuse and sexual abuse. The calculation of the probability of the presence of abuse using Bayes' Theorem is described, given prevalence information and specific indicators of abuse. In addition, a method for describing the degree of imprecision in estimates of the probability of abuse is discussed. Specific issues that affect the valid application of research findings within Bayes' Theorem are discussed, including estimates of the prevalence or base rate of child abuse, sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic signs, and the independence of information that is combined in Bayes' Theorem. Recommendations for addressing these issues when Bayes' Theorem is applied to child abuse decision making are discussed, including assessment of the independence of indicators that are combined in Bayes' Theorem, suitable bases for estimating the prevalence of abuse, and the calculation of imprecision in probability estimates of abuse.

A Commentary on Mandatory Reporting Legislation in the United States, Canada, and Australia: A Cross-Jurisdictional Review of Key Features, Differences, and Issues

Rankin, J. M., Ornstein, A. E. — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:00:47 PST

Mathews and Kenny recently reviewed the current state of mandatory reporting laws in Australia, Canada, and the United States. The purpose of this article is to draw attention to existing differences between these countries regarding exposure to domestic violence (EDV) and to discuss EDV as a specific and detrimental form of child abuse.