NCJ Number
53275
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
AN 8-YEAR FOLLOWUP STUDY OF 17 MATCHED PAIRS OF ABUSED AND NONABUSED CHILDREN FINDS FEW DEVELOPMENTAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES. THE FACT OF SOCIAL CLASS MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ACTUAL ABUSE.
Abstract
THE METHODOLOGY USED TO IDENTIFY THE ABUSED CHILDREN, THE ACCIDENTALLY TRAUMATIZED CHILDREN, AND THE CONTROLS IN THIS STUDY ARE EXPLAINED IN DETAIL. THE TRAUMATIZED CHILDREN WERE FIRST STUDIED AS INFANTS 12 MONTHS OLD OR LESS AFTER REFERRAL TO THE RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH, PA. THE EVALUATION AND COMPARISON STUDY WAS DONE 8 YEARS LATER USING A BATTERY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL, DEVELOPMENTAL, AND EDUCATIONAL TESTS. THE 17 MATCHING PAIRS INCLUDED 9 BLACKS AND 8 WHITES, 14 BOYS AND 5 GIRLS FROM LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC FAMILIES. RESULTS WERE THE OPPOSITE OF THOSE EXPECTED. THE ABUSED CHILDREN WEIGHTED MORE THAN THEIR NONABUSED COUNTERPARTS (P SIGNIFICANT AT THE .05 LEVEL). FEW DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND IN INTELLIGENCE, EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS, OR DEVELOPMENT. ABUSED CHILDREN ACTUALLY HAD FEWER NERVOUS MANNERISMS THAN NONABUSED, ALTHOUGH THEY HAD MORE UNRULY, ACTING-OUT BEHAVIOR. THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES WERE IN THE NUMBER OF INJURIES SUSTAINED DURING CHILDHOOD (ABUSED CHILDREN HAD SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE) AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. THE STUDY SHOWED THAT NONABUSED CHILDREN WERE AFRAID OF WITCHES AND MONSTERS, BUT ABUSED CHILDREN WERE AFRAID OF SPECIFIC PERSONS. ALL THE CHILDREN HAD LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS, WITH ABUSED CHILDREN IN FOSTER HOMES SHOWING POOREST DEVELOPMENT. REVIEW OF THE DATA SUGGESTS THAT THE VIOLENCE AND DISORGANIZATION ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER-CLASS FAMILIES IN AN INNER-CITY AREA HAVE MORE OF AN IMPACT ON A CHILD THAN THE ACTUAL ABUSE. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)