NCJ Number
146449
Date Published
Unknown
Length
73 pages
Annotation
This review considers evidence related to the possible utility of including physical abuse or neglect as parent-child relational diagnoses in the forthcoming publication of the DSM-IV, the American Psychiatric Association's sourcebook of mental disorder classifications.
Abstract
The review focuses on public policies that are relevant to physical abuse and neglect and their implications for possible psychiatric diagnostic categories. The next section considers strategies for operationally defining abuse and neglect, as these definitions determine the availability of data including prevalence or incidence estimates. The examination also covers child abuse and neglect research, characteristics of abused and neglected children, as risk factors, behavioral characteristics of abused children, and the association of child abuse with adolescent psychopathology. A review of parent characteristics is followed by an outline of evidence on the course of maltreatment, long-term consequences for the victims, and the possible relation between child abuse and adult dysfunction. The inclusion of physical abuse and neglect as parent-child relational problems would recognize the evidence suggesting that abuse and neglect are interactional problems involving a specific relationship, improve the quality of research relating the occurrence of abuse to other child and adolescent psychopathologies, and improve services provided to children at risk for health and behavioral difficulties. 444 references