Child Physical Abuse (From The APSAC [American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children] Handbook on Child Maltreatment, Second Edition, P 21-54, 2002, John E.B. Myers, Lucy Berliner, et al., eds. -- NCJ-198699)

• NCJ Number: 198701
• Author(s): David J. Kolko
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 34 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This overview of research findings pertinent to child physical abuse is based on empirical studies of prevalence and incidence, risk factors, developmental effects, treatment outcome, and follow-up status; implications are drawn for practice and future research.

Abstract

The first section of the chapter focuses on the body of knowledge regarding child physical abuse relevant to definitions and prevalence/incidence. It notes variations in data sources, definitions, and assessment items reported in the studies. There have been updates in existing assessment or identification tools that may yield new information to enhance both the reliability and validity of reports on the prevalence of child physical abuse. The next section addresses predisposing characteristics in child physical abuse. Most contemporary models of child physical abuse emphasize the interplay among individual (e.g., psychological state); family-interactional (e.g., use of hostile and aggressive behaviors); and social-system variables (e.g., availability of resources and presence of stress). Predisposing factors include child characteristics (age, health/medical status, and temperament/behavior); parent characteristics (childhood history of abuse, other background/demographic characteristics, cognitive style, behavioral functioning, coping skills, personality and psychiatric disturbances, and biological factors); and family system characteristics (coercive parent-child interactions, poor family relationships, and other family context/social-system variables). A section on the sequelae and consequences of child physical abuse discusses medical/health and psychobiological problems, intellectual/academic problems, cognitive/perceptual and attributional problems, aggression/behavioral dysfunction, internalizing problems, psychiatric disturbances and posttraumatic stress disorder, social/interpersonal competence and relationship problems, and long-term follow-up outcomes. In discussing intervention and treatment, the chapter focuses on treatment considerations; treatment approaches, targets, and parameters; parent-focused treatment outcome studies; family-focused treatment; and treatment availability/access and involvement. The chapter concludes with an overview of practice implications, with attention to clinical assessment, treatment goals and targets, treatment preparation, and abuse-specific and family-centered interventions. 264 references