Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Palusci, Vincent J.
• Smith, Elliott G.
• Paneth, Nigel

Titel

Predicting and responding to physical abuse in young children using NCANDS

Ist Teil von

• Children and youth services review, 2005-06, Vol.27 (6), p.667-682

Ort / Verlag

Elsevier Ltd

Erscheinungsjahr

2005

Quelle

Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Physical abuse (PA) causes injury or death in large numbers of U.S. children. Some maltreated infants suffer repeated physical abuse. This study uses a multi-state dataset of child protective services reports to examine factors first seen in an infant's first maltreatment investigation that may predict future physical abuse. The Detailed Case Data Component of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS-DCDC) for 1995–1999 was used to study repeat reports before age three in a cohort of children first maltreated during infancy. There were 24,900 first confirmed physical abuse reports among infants in 8 states during 1995–1999 in NCANDS-DCDC, an incidence rate of 2.4 confirmed reports per 1,000 infants. A second confirmed report of maltreatment occurred in 21.1% of these physically abused infants, but most repeat episodes represented neglect. Caretaker emotional disturbance, violence between caretakers and prior physical abuse were all associated with increased risk of later physical abuse. Several factors appear to modify the risk of future physical abuse in young children. While large proportion of data are missing, current post-investigation services as recorded in NCANDS are not associated with deceased PA. Based on our models, potential prevention strategies should address caretaker emotional disturbances and violence within families with maltreated infants.