Abuse and Neglect in Psychiatrically Hospitalized Multihandicapped Children

• NCJ Number: 119530
• Journal: Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: (1989) Pages: 335-343
• Author(s): R Ammerman; V Hasselt; M Hersen; J J McGonigle; M J Lubetsky
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): G008300135; G00872019
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Paper presented at: Third National Family Violence Research Conference, University of New Hampshire, Durham, July 7, 1987

Annotation

Medical charts of 150 consecutive admissions of multihandicapped children to a psychiatric hospital were examined to determine the extent and characteristics of abuse and neglect.

Abstract

Of the sample, 39 percent experienced past or current maltreatment. Physical abuse was the most frequent maltreatment followed by neglect and sexual abuse. Maltreated, multihandicapped patients admitted to the psychiatric unit were less likely to receive diagnoses of organic brain syndrome or profound mental retardation than nonmaltreated, multihandicapped counterparts on the same unit. Data indicated that less severely impaired patients were more likely to be maltreated than were the more severely impaired. A relatively high percentage of sexually abused patients were assaulted by multiple perpetrators. 3 tables, 11 references. (Author abstract modified)