HELPING ABUSED CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS (FROM FAMILY VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE, 1979, BY EUNICE CORFMAN - SEE NCJ-66054)

• NCJ Number: 66057
• Author(s): M C BLEHAR; J J KENT
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 24 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH 24741
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN INTENSIVE, LONG-TERM STUDY IS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE LOS ANGELES CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL ON CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM NON-ACCIDENTAL INJURY (NAI) AND FAILURE TO THRIVE (FIT) AND ON THE CHILDREN'S FAMILIES.

Abstract

ONE GOAL OF THE STUDY IS TO DETERMINE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PARENTS OF NAI CHILDREN AND THOSE OF FTT CHILDREN. PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS OF THE PARENTS CAN PLAY A LARGE PART IN DETERMINING WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CHILD IN THE FUTURE AS WELL AS WHAT COURSE OF TREATMENT TO FOLLOW. GENERAL SOCIAL HISTORY ITEMS, DETAILS CONCERNING THE INCIDENT OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT, INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARENT'S ATTITUDES TOWARD PARENTING, AND OTHER PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT MEASURES ARE COMPILED TO PROVIDE A PROFILE OF THE CHILD'S PARENT(S). IN ADDITION, DETAILED ASSESSMENTS OF THE CHILD'S PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, AND SOCIOEMOTIONAL FUNCTIONING ARE MADE. AFTER A COURSE OF THERAPY IS DECIDED UPON, THE PARENTS ARE USUALLY INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY GROUP SESSIONS. WHILE PARENTS ARE IN GROUP SESSIONS, CHILDREN ARE IN THERAPY AND STIMULATION GROUPS ACCORDING TO AGE LEVEL. PARENT-AIDES, ALSO PART OF THE TREATMENT, ARE ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FAMILY, ALTHOUGH NOT ALL FAMILIES HAVE AIDES. ONE VERY VALUABLE RESEARCH FINDING HAS BEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TYPOLOGIES OF NAI AND FTT FAMILIES THAT CONSIST OF PROFILES THAT DISTINGUISH FAMILIES ON FACTORS OF IMPORTANCE FOR PLANNING THERAPY AND CHILD PLACEMENT. AS THE PROFILES BECOME MORE REFINED, IT WILL BECOME EASIER TO PLACE A PARTICULAR FAMILY IN A CATEGORY AND TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THE BASIS OF WHAT MEMBERSHIP IN THE CATEOGRY IMPLIES. THE FIRST ANALYSIS YIELDED FOUR CLUSTERS OF NAI FAMILIES: (1) 'FLASHPOINT' FAMILIES ARE USUALLY MIDDLE-CLASS WITH HIGH SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, WITH NO HISTORY OF MENTAL OR CRIMINAL PROBLEMS; (2) 'SPARE-THE-ROD' FAMILIES DISCIPLINE ALL CHILDREN PHYSICALLY BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE CHILDREN NEED DISCIPLINE TO GROW UP TO BE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS; (3) 'YOU-ASKED-FOR-IT' FAMILIES ARE USUALLY NEW TO THE LOS ANGELES AREA, A THIRD ARE MEXICAN-AMERICAN, AND THE FATHERS USUALLY ABUSE THE 2- OR 3-YEAR OLD; AND (4) 'WHO-NEEDS-IT' FAMILIES IS THE LARGEST GROUP AND INCLUDES BOYFRIEND ABUSE OF THE MOTHER WHO IS INVOLVED IN A SERIES OF UNSTABLE AND SHORT-LIVED RELATIONSHIPS WITH SADISTIC AND EXPLOITIVE MEN. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)