Describing the context and nature of emotional maltreatment reports in children

The circumstances leading to reports of emotional maltreatment are potentially unique from those of other abuse types. This study utilized data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), which is a federally sponsored effort requiring the submission of case-level data on all children who were subject to maltreatment investigations by state child welfare agencies. The central aims of this study were to examine case-level characteristics of sole occurrences of emotional maltreatment Child Protective Service (CPS) reports in an effort to address how caregiver and child risk correlates affect the substantiation of these allegations. A cluster analysis was performed to explore how the risk assessment factors grouped together; secondarily, the cluster groupings were examined in a logistic regression model to measure factors associated with substantiation of these abuse reports. Four unique clusters emerged, with one cluster absent any risk assessment factors entirely and another cluster solely composed of domestic violence. Caregiver risk factors with the highest odds of predicting report substantiation included caregiver substance abuse, domestic violence, and caregiver learning disabilities.     

Multisystemic Therapy for Child Abuse and Neglect: Do Parents Show Improvement in Parental Mental Health Problems and Parental Stress?

Multisystemic Therapy for Child Abuse and Neglect (MST-CAN) is an evidence-based program for families with children who experience maltreatment. This clinical trial is the first evaluation of MST-CAN in a German-speaking area. Parental psychological problems and parental stress have been shown to be risk factors for child abuse and neglect. By the end of treatment, parents reported significantly less psychological distress than before the start of MST-CAN. Six months after treatment, this reduction was still evident. However, parents did not report any significant reduction of parental stress at any of the three time points. MST-CAN is an effective intervention for child maltreatment that not only combats child abuse and neglect but also has the potential to alleviate parental psychological distress.     

Predicting relapse of problematic child-rearing situations

BackgroundThe development and evaluation of risk assessment instruments for child maltreatment is still in its infancy, both in the Netherlands and internationally. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive validity of a structured clinical judgement instrument – the Check List of Child Safety (CLCS) – that is widely used in the Netherlands. The second aim was to examine the predictive validity of a newly developed actuarial risk classification that is based on variables measured with the CLCS.MethodThe sample consisted of 3963 Dutch families who were under the supervision of the Dutch Child Welfare Agency (CWA) between 2011 and 2013 because of problematic child-rearing situations. Relapse was defined as restarting treatment by the CWA because of newly substantiated problematic child-rearing situations. The actuarial risk classification was developed by means of a CHAID analysis. The predictive validity of the CLCS and the actuarial risk classification were examined by calculating several performance indicators (sensitivity, specificity, false positives, false negatives and AUC values).ResultsThe predictive validity of the CLCS was poor, with a non-significant AUC of .530, meaning that the CLCS performed no better than chance. The predictive validity of the actuarial risk classification was moderate, with a significant AUC of .630.ConclusionThe actuarial risk classification not only outperformed the CLCS, but is also time-saving in practice since it comprises only variables that are significantly related to relapse.     

The Use of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory in the Assessment of Parents involved in Care Proceedings

Assessing for potential physical abuse is a fundamental task for those professionals undertaking assessments of parents involved in care proceedings. One tool developed to help assist in this endeavour is the Child Abuse Potential (CAP) Inventory (Milner, 1980 , 1986 ). The CAP Inventory provides an estimate of parental risk of child abuse and is one of the most widely used psychometric tools by psychologists in child protection settings. This review evaluates the psychometric properties of this measure and provides an overview of its potential uses, as well as its limitations. It concludes that there is evidence to support the validity and reliability of the CAP Inventory for use in care proceedings. Specifically, the review indicates that the CAP Inventory has good levels of reliability and validity (construct, content and concurrent). The only aspect of validity for which there is a lack of evidence is that of predictive validity and this is due to a dearth of prospective studies. Given the above, the practical, clinical and ethical implications for the use of the CAP Inventory in the assessment of parents involved in care proceedings are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Citing Literature

Number of times cited according to CrossRef: 3

• Amanda H. Costello, Natalie J. Shook, Nancy M. Wallace, Cheryl B. McNeil, Examining factors associated with elevated Lie Scale responding on the Child Abuse Potential Inventory, Child Abuse & Neglect, 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.10.009, 76 , (56-64), (2018). Crossref
• Jane V. Appleton, Peter Sidebotham, Physical Abuse of Children, Child Abuse Review, 10.1002/car.2505, 26 , 6, (405-410), (2017). Wiley Online Library
• Jane V. Appleton, Working Alongside One Another…, Child Abuse Review, 10.1002/car.2416, 24 , 5, (313-316), (2015). Wiley Online Library

Volume 24 , Issue 5 September/October 2015

Pages 332-345     

Family Unity Meetings: Decision Making and Placement Outcomes

ABSTRACT

The sample consisted of all families (747) who were invited to receive a Family Unity Meeting from a Public Child Welfare Agency in a large urban county. Data was derived from the review of agency case files. The design was a retrospective case review with an embedded prospective study. This study describes factors that distinguish between CPS clients who accept an invitation to participate in a Family Unity Meeting (FUM) and those clients who decline to participate. The meeting process is described, and logistic regression is used to identify variables that predicted successful outcomes FUM meetings.

Families with reunification as a goal were the most likely cases to agree to participate followed by Voluntary and Permanency Planning cases. Cases with severe neglect were the least likely group to participate in a meeting process. Approximately nine people attended an average meeting. Maternal relatives were more likely to attend than paternal relatives.

Empirical evidence was found to support the notion that FUM expands the notion of family. Only 38% of children were placed with a parent after a meeting, but 82% of children were placed with a family member. Children were not placed with either the parent or family if the social worker had placement as a goal before the meeting. Cases with permanency plans were also less likely to be placed with the family. Social workers were more likely to agree with a placement with relatives if they had a concern about parental drug abuse. Having a maternal aunt in attendance at the meeting was predictive of having a child placed with the family.

Social workers and families stated concerns prior to the meeting diverged. Families were more concerned with economic and financial issues than were the social workers. Social workers were more concerned with child protective service issues (type of abuse, placement issues, etc.) and the behavior of the parent (substance abuse, mental health, etc.) than was the family. Paying attention to family issues such as finances may be a necessary precursor to families focusing on more complex matters like substance abuse or parenting practices.

Placement outcomes were consistent with worker's goals stated before the meeting. If a social worker said they wanted to place a child with the family before the meeting, that placement was most likely the outcome of the meeting. Social workers may be guiding the decisions of the family. If this interpretation is correct then it raises questions about who makes decisions at the meeting. An alternative conclusion is that the social workers are good diagnosticians who know prior to the meeting if placement is necessary, and know what decisions the family will make.     

The impact of child, family, and child protective services factors on reports of child sexual abuse recurrence

This study identified selected child factors (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, disabilities, prior victimization, and relationship to perpetrator of abuse), family risk factors (e.g., substance abuse, domestic violence, inadequate housing, and financial problems), and services provided by child protective services that likely increased reports of child sexual abuse recurrence by type of reporter. Survival analysis was conducted using the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System data set of 2002-2004. Child disability, being a prior victim, having a perpetrator as a caregiver, family financial problems, and receiving family supportive services increased the likelihood for reports of child sexual abuse by mandated reporters. Being Hispanic, having a disability, having a perpetrator as a caregiver, financial problems, and receiving family preservation services statistically decreased the likelihood for reports of child sexual abuse recurrence.     

Reliability and validity of a new psychometric inventory of childrearing difficulties for evaluating child abuse risk in Japan

Abstract

Child abuse can occur in any family and requires early preventive measures. Here, a new psychometric inventory was developed for detecting child abuse risk based on parental psychological characteristics reported via a self-administered questionnaire by Japanese parents of children below elementary school age (n?=?370). Reliability and validity were tested using factor analysis and examined for correlations with related criteria and Cronbach’s α coefficients. Inventory factors were “Abandonment anxiety” (9 items; α?=?.899), “Anxiety due to lack of confidence” (13 items; α?=?.868), “Suspicion” (5 items; α?=?.832), and “Perfectionism” (7 items; α?=?.793). This inventory will provide a basis for assessing risk of childrearing difficulties and thus child abuse risk for specialists working with Japanese parents.     

Professional judgements and decisions on placement in foster care and reunification in Portugal

This study aims to analyse professional judgements and decisions made in the Portuguese child care system in face of a case vignette of child maltreatment. Using the approach proposed by Benbenishty et al. [(2015). Decision making in child protection: An international comparative study on maltreatment substantiation, risk assessment and interventions recommendations, and the role of professionals’ child welfare attitudes. Child Abuse & Neglect, 49, 63–75. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.03.015], we assessed the decisions of professionals, such as to place the child in foster care or reunify her with her family, on the basis of a series of judgements (e.g. substantiation of alleged abuse and neglect, risk assessments) that are influenced by the characteristics of the case, the decision-making context, and mother's and child's wishes. We conclude that there are different approaches to the case based on different professionals' attitudes that can be classified in two groups: one more pro-removal and the other anti-removal. These groups presented different risk assessments and intervention recommendations, and their decisions where significantly influenced by the mother's and child's wishes. Furthermore, we have done comparisons with studies made in other countries, concluding that the country context can be an important factor that leads to different outcomes. Implications for both practice and research are presented.     

Delineating disproportionality and disparity of Asian-Canadian versus White-Canadian families in the child welfare system

ObjectiveThis paper builds upon the analyses presented in three companion papers using data from the 2003 and 2008 cycles of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2003 and CIS-2008) and the Ontario Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (OCANDS) to examine disproportionality and disparity of child welfare involvement for Asian-Canadian children involved in the child welfare system.MethodsThis study used CIS-2008 data adjusted by Census child population data to examine rates per 1000 and three disparity indexes (population-based disparity index [PDI], decision-based disparity index [DDI], and maltreatment-based disparity index [MDI]) to determine the representation of child maltreatment investigations for Asian-Canadian versus White-Canadian children involved in the child welfare system. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the odds of case closure for substantiated child maltreatment investigations, and whether Asian ethnicity remained significant while controlling for child demographics and household composition, case characteristics, and clinical concerns.ResultsThis study found that Asian-Canadian children were underrepresented in the child welfare system compared to White-Canadian children (13.9 per 1000 Asian children in the Canadian population vs. 36.1 per 1000 White children in the Canadian population). Child welfare involvement for Asian-Canadian children are almost 2 times more likely to close after an investigation than White-Canadian children. The three disparity indexes (PDI, DDI, MDI) showed substantially different results with respect to the representation of child maltreatment investigations involving Asian-Canadian versus White-Canadian children for physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, emotional maltreatment, and exposure to domestic violence.ConclusionsDisproportionality and disparity are complex phenomena. The variation in results derived from different methods of calculating representation suggests the need for greater clarity and consistency in the definitions and methodology in examining racial disparity in child welfare research. Some methodological considerations for future child welfare research with Asian-Canadian populations were discussed.     

Making Decisions about Parental Mental Health: An Exploratory Study of Community Mental Health Team Staff

Adult mental health problems can impact on parents, and research highlights that their children are at higher risk of developing mental health problems. In extreme cases, mental health problems are associated with a risk of fatal child abuse. Despite this, there are few studies exploring clinical decision‐making by adult mental health professionals.

‘In extreme cases, mental health problems are associated with a risk of fatal child abuse’

This study used qualitative methods to explore Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) workers' experiences of decision‐making in the interface between mental health and child welfare. Workers were interviewed about their experiences of clinical decision‐making regarding child welfare. Interviews and accounts were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Influences on decision‐making were explored and triangulated with the accounts of Named Nurses for Child Protection. The findings revealed that CMHT participants were aware of their responsibilities towards children, but a complex synthesis of factors impacted on their sense‐making about risk and welfare. Three superordinate themes emerged: the tensions of working across systems; trying to balance the perceptions and feelings involved in sense‐making; and the role that interpersonal dynamics play in the understanding and management of risk. This paper focuses in particular on perceptions and feelings. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

‘A complex synthesis of factors impacted on their sense‐making about risk and welfare’

Citing Literature

Number of times cited according to CrossRef: 8

• Natalie Elizabeth Anderson, Julia Slark, Merryn Gott, Unlocking intuition and expertise: using interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore clinical decision making, Journal of Research in Nursing, 10.1177/1744987118809528, 24 , 1-2, (88-101), (2019). Crossref
• Phillip Tchernegovski, Andrea E. Reupert, Darryl J. Maybery, How do Australian adult mental health clinicians manage the challenges of working with parental mental illness? A phenomenological study, Child & Family Social Work, 10.1111/cfs.12426, 23 , 3, (381-389), (2017). Wiley Online Library
• Maria Afzelius, Lars Plantin, Margareta Östman, Children of Parents With Serious Mental Illness: The Perspective of Social Workers, Practice, 10.1080/09503153.2016.1260705, 29 , 4, (293-310), (2016). Crossref
• Louise Everitt, Caroline Homer, Jennifer Fenwick, Working with Vulnerable Pregnant Women Who Are At Risk of Having their Babies Removed by the Child Protection Agency in New South Wales, Australia, Child Abuse Review, 10.1002/car.2432, 26 , 5, (351-363), (2016). Wiley Online Library
• Joe Duffy, Gavin Davidson, Damien Kavanagh, Applying the recovery approach to the interface between mental health and child protection services, Child Care in Practice, 10.1080/13575279.2015.1064358, 22 , 1, (35-49), (2015). Crossref
• Peter Sidebotham, What did you do at Work Today, Daddy?, Child Abuse Review, 10.1002/car.2357, 23 , 5, (307-310), (2014). Wiley Online Library
• Peter Sidebotham, Rethinking Filicide, Child Abuse Review, 10.1002/car.2303, 22 , 5, (305-310), (2013). Wiley Online Library
• Jane V. Appleton, Peter Sidebotham, Child Protection and Mental Health, Child Abuse Review, 10.1002/car.2220, 21 , 3, (153-156), (2012). Wiley Online Library

Volume 21 , Issue 3 May/June 2012

Pages 173-189     

Caregiver–Youth Communication about Sex in South Africa: The Role of Maternal Child Sexual Abuse History

Much of the research on child sexual abuse focuses on negative outcomes. This brief report explores a potentially protective parenting behavior among black South African female caregivers with and without a child sexual abuse history. Using cross-sectional baseline data, we hypothesized that caregiver child sexual abuse history would be positively associated with caregiver–youth sex communication and this relationship would be strongest for girls. Youth whose caregiver experienced child sexual abuse were more likely to report communicating with their caregiver about sex than youth whose caregivers did not experience child sexual abuse; however, this relation did not hold for caregiver reported communication. Child sexual abuse survivors’ ability and decision to discuss sex with their youth has the potential to protect youth from sexual risk and demonstrates resilience among a group rarely acknowledged for positive parenting practices.     

Judgments regarding parental alienation when parental hostility or child sexual abuse is alleged

Abstract

Allegations of Parental Alienation (PA), the systematic disparaging of one parent by the other parent aimed at alienating their child’s affections, as a basis for child custody decisions are highly controversial. Claims of parental hostility or allegations of child sexual abuse in custody cases may trigger concerns about PA. Family court professionals (N?=?280) rated young children’s accuracy of report (e.g., suggestibility, honesty) in general and also read three custody scenarios varying as to whether or not they included allegations of parental hostility or child sexual abuse, or no such allegations. For each scenario, the alleged alienating parent’s gender was experimentally varied between subjects. Participants rated the likelihood that each case involved PA. For the scenario that included allegations of child sexual abuse, professionals who viewed young children as more inaccurate reporters or who read about the mother (rather than a father) as the alleged alienator were more likely to rate the scenario as involving PA. For the scenario that described parental hostility but no child sexual abuse allegations, professionals who were older or female were more likely to judge the scenario as involving parental alienation when a mother (rather than a father) was the alleged alienator, whereas there were no significant predictors of responses to the no-allegation scenarios. Findings are discussed in relation to the difficult task of evaluating custody cases for PA when parental hostility or child sexual abuse is alleged.     

Psychometrics of a Child Report Measure of Maternal Support following Disclosure of Sexual Abuse

ABSTRACT

The study examined a new child report measure of maternal support following child sexual abuse. One hundred and forty-six mother–child dyads presenting for a forensic evaluation completed assessments including standardized measures of adjustment. Child participants also responded to 32 items considered for inclusion in a new measure, the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report (MSQ-CR). Exploratory factor analysis of the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report resulted in a three factor, 20-item solution: Emotional Support (9 items), Skeptical Preoccupation (5 items), and Protection/Retaliation (6 items). Each factor demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Construct and concurrent validity of the new measure were supported in comparison to other trauma-specific measures. The Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report demonstrated sound psychometric properties. Future research is needed to determine whether the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report provides a more sensitive approximation of maternal support following disclosure of sexual abuse, relative to measures of global parent–child relations and to contextualize discrepancies between mother and child ratings of maternal support.     

‘Society keeps abuse hidden—the biggest cause of all’: the case for child-friendly communities

This second paper on the findings and recommendations of the National Commission of Inquiry into the Prevention of Child Abuse discusses the need to create ‘child friendly communities’ in which children and young people feel loved, valued and listened to and their needs are effectively met. Such communities are essential if we are to prevent child abuse—only in such environments will children and young people feel free to take action on concerns which they have, including child abuse. Consideration is given to ways in which communities are currently hostile or unfriendly towards children and how these factors can be overcome. The characteristics of child-friendly communities are described and examples given of initiatives which are supportive of children and young people. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Differentiating Children with and without a History of Repeated Problematic Sexual Behavior

Although the issue of dissociative amnesia in adult survivors of child sexual abuse has been contentious, many research studies have shown that there is a subset of child sexual abuse survivors who have forgotten their abuse and later remembered it. Child sexual abuse survivors with dissociative amnesia histories have different formative and therapeutic issues than survivors of child sexual abuse who have had continuous memory of their abuse. This article first discusses those differences in terms of the moderating risk factors for developing dissociative amnesia (e.g., age, ethnicity, gender, etc.) and then mediating risk factors (e.g., social support, trait dissociativity, etc.). The differences between the two types of survivors are then explored in terms of treatment issues.     

Patterns of child abuse in early childhood,a cohort study of the ‘children of the nineties’

In order to study patterns of child abuse in a pre‐school population, we have looked at children within a local cohort who have been investigated for abuse or placed on the Child Protection Register. This is part of a larger study examining risk and protective factors for child abuse. Of 14 138 children enrolled in the cohort, 329 were investigated for suspected child abuse and 163 were placed on the Child Protection Register over an 8‐year period, representing rates of 10.6 – 23.3 per 10 000 per year. Physical injury and neglect accounted for 31.7% and 29.0% of registrations in the study group respectively, these proportions being similar to those for children of all ages in Avon. In contrast, sexual abuse accounted for 10.9% compared to 21.1% for all ages. Emotional abuse represented just 2.8% of investigations but 25.1% of all registrations in the study group, compared to 14.4% of registrations for all ages. Two hundred and fifty‐five (1.8%) parents reported physical cruelty to their children by themselves or their partner at some stage in the first 3 years; 772 (5.4%) reported some emotional cruelty. The importance of emotional cruelty to children is increasingly being recognized by professionals, but even more so by parents, whose concerns relating to both physical and emotional cruelty are not being identified by current procedures. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Correlates of Sexual Abuse in a Sample of Adolescent Girls Admitted to Psychiatric Inpatient Care

We examined correlations of child sexual abuse among 300 adolescent girls in psychiatric inpatient treatment. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.)-based psychiatric diagnoses were obtained from the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children—Present and Lifetime and from data on family and behavioral characteristics from the European Addiction Severity Index (EuropASI). A total of 79 girls (26.3%) had experienced child sexual abuse during their lifetime. Child sexual abuse was associated with an adolescent’s home environment, sibling status, smoking, posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis, self-mutilating behavior, and suicidal behavior. At least 62% of the perpetrators were acquaintances of the victims. Correlates of child sexual abuse can be used to identify child sexual abuse victims and persons at heightened risk for child sexual abuse.     

An examination of relationships between children's protective services social worker assessment of risk and independent LONGSCAN measures of risk constructs

Risk assessment as a Child Protective Services (CPS) decision-making model has been implemented in the field since the late 1980s. Research activities on risk assessment have included comparative analyses, prioritization, classification studies, implementation, and cultural sensitivity analyses. In the last decade, the major research focus has been on studies related to predictive validity. Little research on risk assessment has focused on other types of construct validity, including convergent validity. Using data from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) and CPS investigation records, this study examined the correlations between CPS workers' ratings of risk on nine risk factors and independent measures of the same risk constructs collected by research interviewers. The data indicate significant correlations with caregiver risk factors such as physical/mental/emotional impairment, however there is little correlation with child risk factors associated with developmental or behavioral issues, or socio-economic factors such as stress and social support. Implications of the findings for policy and practice are discussed.