NCJ Number
50989
Date Published
1975
Length
176 pages
Annotation
ALL CASES OF CHILD ABUSE (164) REPORTED TO THE HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, CHILD WELFARE AUTHORITIES OVER A 6-MONTH PERIOD ARE ANALYZED TO DEVELOP A TYPOLOGY OF CHILD ABUSE AND ISOLATE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS.
Abstract
A THREE-PART QUESTIONNARIE WAS USED BY CASE WORKERS FOR ALL CHILD ABUSE COMPLAINTS INVESTIGATED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1, 1974 AND APRIL 30, 1975. THE FIRST PART COLLECTED A HISTORY OF THE CHILD AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE INCIDENT, THE SECOND ASKED ABOUT THE ABUSERS' BACKGROUND, AND THE THIRD PART WAS A CHECKLIST OF CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PRESENT IN ANY GIVEN INCIDENT. IT WAS FOUND THAT ABUSERS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE THEMSELVES. ALSO, THEY WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PRONE TO ANGER, AS MEASURED BY A PERSONALITY SCALE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE MAIN QUESTIONNAIRE. THE CASE STUDY EXAMINATION FOUND, HOWEVER, THAT THE TYPOLOGY OF CHILD ABUSE IS CONSIDERABLY MORE COMPLEX THAN IS USUALLY REPORTED IN THE LITERATURE. EIGHT DISTINCT CHILD ABUSE PATTERNS WERE IDENTIFIED: ALCOHOLIC INTOXICATION LEADING TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT; AGGRESSIVE CHILD-REARING IDEOLOGY LEADING TO REPEATED ABUSE; PERSISTENT MISCONDUCT OF THE CHILD LEADING TO HIS OWN ABUSE; RESISTANCE OF SEXUAL ABUSE LEADING TO PHYSICAL ABUSE; MENTALLY DISTURBED CARETAKER SEEKING SADISTIC GRATIFICATION (THREE CASES INVOLVED DAY-CARE CENTERS); MALE BABYSITTER ABUSING CHILD DURING MOTHER'S TEMPORARY ABSENCE, OFTEN DUE TO QUARREL WITH MOTHER; PSYCHOLOGICAL REJECTION LEADING TO REPEATED ABUSE; AND FEMALE BABYSITTER ACTING UNDER STRESS. CHARTS AND GRAPHS ACCOMPANY THE ANALYSIS. NUMEROUS CASE HISTORIES ARE INCLUDED. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT FURTHER RESEARCH BE DONE CONCERNING THESE TYPOLOGIES. SINCE FEW HARRIS COUNTY CASES ARE REPORTED BY PRIVATE PHYSICIANS, MANDATORY REPORTING IS URGED FOR THIS JURISDICTION. REFERENCES, THE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS, AND STATISTICAL DATA GATHERED BY THE STUDY ARE ALL APPENDED. (GLR)